Small bowel injury by low-dose enteric-coated aspirin and treatment with misoprostol: a pilot study

Abstract

Background & aims: With capsule endoscopy, the ulcerogenic effect of low-dose enteric-coated aspirin on the small bowel and the therapeutic effect of misoprostol on intestinal injury were evaluated.

Methods: Eleven patients who developed gastric ulcers while undergoing low-dose enteric-coated aspirin therapy were enrolled. They continued aspirin therapy while taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for 8 weeks to heal the gastric ulcers. Then misoprostol 200 microg 4 times a day was administered instead of PPIs for 8 weeks. When the patients could not tolerate misoprostol as a result of side effects, they received another 8 weeks of PPI therapy.

Results: Capsule endoscopy performed after 8 weeks of PPI treatment identified red spots and mucosal breaks in 100% (11/11) and 90.9% (10/11) of patients, respectively. In 7 patients who completed the study protocol, misoprostol significantly decreased the median number of red spots and mucosal breaks, with complete disappearance of mucosal breaks in 4 patients. Intestinal lesions tended not to heal in 3 patients who discontinued misoprostol.

Conclusions: Low-dose enteric-coated aspirin frequently damages the small intestine, and misoprostol is effective in the treatment of aspirin-induced enteropathy.