ABSTRACT
Drug abuse as a frequent high risk behavior accompanies many different gastrointestinal complications. In this study we tried to evaluate the prevalence of gastrointestinal reflux among opium addicts. Using a historical cohort design, 62 cases with dyspepsia as the chief complaint entered the study: 30 cases with history of regular use of opium over the last year [exposed group] and 32 cases with no history of addiction at all [unexposed group]. Upper GI tract endoscopy was accompanied by 3 biopsy specimens taken from body and antre of stomach was performed for all the cases. 2 cases in the exposed group and 3 cases in the unexposed group left the study with the diagnosis of malignancy. Mean age of the remaining cases in the exposed group was 48.1 +/- 13.2 and in the unexposed group, it was 37.8 +/- 13.9 years [p= 0.006]. 16 cases [57.1%] in the exposed group and 5 cases [17.2%] in the unexposed group had endoscopic evidence of bile reflux into the stomach [p= 0.003]. Pathologic evidence of bile gastritis including foveolar elongation was reported in 7 cases [25.0%] of the exposed group in comparison with 1 case [3.4%] of the unexposed group [p = 0.025]. The frequency of "helicobacter pylori free gastritis" was 50% in the exposed group and 17.2% in the unexposed group [p = 0.012]. Duodenogastric reflux is not restricted to cases with a history of GI tract surgery and it seems that this problem is common among opium addicts