RESUMO
A prospective, randomized study was undertaken to determine the long term effect of NSAIDs on lactose absorption. Twenty controls and 28 patients were selected from the general medical out-patients clinic of a teaching hospital, adhering to strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Six [30%] out of the 20 controls and 21 [75%] out of 28 patients showed positive hydrogen breath test at 60, 90, or 120 minutes [H
ion >20 ppm]; p value at 60 and 120 minutes was statistically significant [p<0.01], whereas at 90 minutes it was highly significant [p<0.001]. It was concluded that patients on long term NSAIDs are more likely to develop lactose malabsorption as indicated by positive breath test. This may have predictive value in picking up early small intestinal inflammation and thus enteropathy which is now a recognized complication of this group of drugs