Incidence of small bowel injury induced by low-dose aspirin: a crossover study using capsule endoscopy in healthy volunteers

Abstract

Background and aims: Small intestinal toxicity of low-dose aspirin remains unclear. The purpose of this capsule endoscopy study was to assess the incidence of small bowel injury in healthy volunteers treated with short-term low-dose aspirin.

Methods: Healthy subjects were randomly assigned to receive low-dose aspirin for 14 days (Aspirin group) or no drugs for 14 days (Control group). The two treatment occasions were separated by a washout period of at least 4 weeks. All subjects underwent capsule endoscopy at the end of each treatment period.

Results: After 2 weeks of treatment, the percentages of subjects with small bowel pathology were 80% in the Aspirin group compared with 20% in the Control group (p = 0.023). The incidence of small bowel mucosal breaks in the Aspirin group was higher than that in the Control group, although the difference was not significant (30 vs. 0%; p = 0.210).

Conclusions: This is the first pilot study using capsule endoscopy to report on the relation between small bowel injury and low-dose aspirin. Among the healthy subjects, the short-term administration of low-dose aspirin was associated with a mild mucosal inflammation of the small bowel.