The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the occurrence of gastric lesions among patients undergoing upper endoscopy in a university hospital in Brazil

BACKGROUND: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are widely used in Brazil in spite of the known risks associated with their use, but investigation of their side effects conducted in this country has been far from sufficient. This study investigates the use of NSAIDs among patients undergoing upper endoscopy in the Hospital das Clínicas of the Federal University of Minas Gerais and the association of this use with the endoscopic diagnosis of gastric erosions, gastric erosions with hematin pigmentation, and gastric ulcer. METHODS: The cross-sectional methodological approach was used; 533 patients aged 17 or older were interviewed, between June and December, 2000. Data were submitted to bivariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: More than two thirds of the interviewed population reported the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in a period of 1 month before the upper endoscopy. The most used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were acetylsalicylic acid and diclofenac. An association was clearly shown between the use of these drugs and the occurrence of the studied lesions, with the latter attaining significance. There was also a significant association between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use for a period greater than 15 days and the occurrence of the gastric lesions, with a higher odds ratio than for the other comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have a significant association with the occurrence of the gastric lesions and point to the need of further study of this issue in Brazil.

INTRODUÇÃO: No Brasil são bastante evidentes os riscos associados ao uso de medicamentos. No entanto, tal questão não é devidamente privilegiada no campo da investigação científica. O presente estudo se refere ao uso de antiinflamatórios não-esteróides, fármacos amplamente utilizados no país. O objetivo foi investigar o uso de antiinflamatórios não-esteróides entre pacientes submetidos à endoscopia digestiva alta no Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais e sua associação com a ocorrência de erosões gástricas, erosões gástricas com pigmento de hematina e úlcera gástrica. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal em que 533 pacientes com idade igual ou superior a 17 anos foram entrevistados no período de junho a dezembro de 2000. Os dados foram submetidos às análises bivariada e multivariada. RESULTADOS: Mais de dois terços da população entrevistada relatou o uso de antiinflamatórios não-esteróides no período de um mês anterior à endoscopia digestiva alta. Os antiinflamatórios mais utilizados foram o ácido acetilsalicílico e o diclofenaco. Evidenciou-se uma associação positiva e significativa entre o uso desses fármacos e a ocorrência das lesões em questão. Ao se avaliar a associação entre o uso de antiinflamatórios não-esteróides por um período superior a 15 dias e a ocorrência das lesões gástricas, esta foi positiva e significativa, apresentado odds ratio superiores àqueles apresentados para as associações anteriores. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados sugerem que os antiinflamatórios não-esteróides têm uma associação significativa com a ocorrência de lesões gástricas e apontam para a necessidade de aprofundamento no estudo desta questão no Brasil.

Nitric oxide levels during erythroid differentiation in K562 cell line.

Nitric oxide (NO) is endogenous mediator of numerous physiological processes that range from regulation cardiovascular function and neurotransmission to antipathogenic and tumoricidal responses. This study was designed to investigate the possible role of NO during erythroid differentiation in K562 erythroleukemia cells. The chronic myelogenous leukemia (K562) cell line can be triggered in culture to differentiate along the erythrocytic pathway, in response to a variety of stimulatory agents. In this study, K562 cells were induced to synthesize hemoglobin by hemin. We investigated NOx (nitrate+nitrite) levels in uninduced (control) and hemin-induced K562 cell lysates during erythroid differentiation. Our results showed that NO levels decreased significantly on fourth and sixth day both in hemin-induced and control cells; the decrease was, however, more in hemin-induced group than in control group.