[Investigations concerning the effect of nabumetone on gastric mucosa]

The investigations were carried out in 9 patients (6 women and 3 men) with rheumatoid arthritis or degenerative joint disease. All subjects were given 1000 mg nabumetone (NA) in a single daily dose at the evening, during 21 days. Before and after the therapeutic course, endoscopic examination of the upper digestive tract was carried out. On day at the begin and on the 22nd day of the NA treatment, the gastric transmucosal electric potential difference (PD) was determined, in (a) standard condition, (b) after intragastric application of 1000 mg NA, and (c) after a similar application of 1000 mg of acetylsalicylic acid (AAS). On the contrary to the effect caused by AAS (p < 0.001), NA did not result any significant change of the PD (p > 0.05), neither after a single nor after 21 day-long application (the lowest PD value before the NA therapeutic course was after a single NA dose -45.8 +/- 2.7 mV and after a single dose of AAS -40.4 +/- 2.45 mV; after the end of the NA therapy course the values were: after additional NA dose -46.7 +/- 3.5 mV and after AAS -40.5 +/- 2.7 mV) Endoscopically, any changes of the upper digestive tract mucosa which could be related to the NA therapeutic course were not detected.