Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Dec 14, 2011; 17(46): 5117-5122
Published online Dec 14, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i46.5117
Aspirin-induced small bowel injuries and the preventive effect of rebamipide
Kazuhiro Mizukami, Kazunari Murakami, Takashi Abe, Kunimitsu Inoue, Masahiro Uchida, Tadayoshi Okimoto, Masaaki Kodama, Toshio Fujioka
Kazuhiro Mizukami, Kazunari Murakami, Takashi Abe, Kunimitsu Inoue, Masahiro Uchida, Tadayoshi Okimoto, Masaaki Kodama, Toshio Fujioka, Department of General Medicine and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Oita 879-5593, Japan
Author contributions: Mizukami K, Murakami K, and Fujioka T designed and performed research, analyzed data, and wrote the paper; Abe T, Inoue K, Uchida M, Okimoto T and Kodama M performed research and analyzed data.
Supported by The Department of General Medicine and Gastroenterology, Oita University
Correspondence to: Kazuhiro Mizukami, Dr., MD, Department of General Medicine and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, 1-1, Idaigaoka, Hasama, Yufu, Oita 879-5593, Japan. mizkaz0809@oita-u.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-97-5866193 Fax: + 81-97-5866194
Received: February 23, 2011
Revised: May 26, 2011
Accepted: June 2, 2011
Published online: December 14, 2011
Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the influence of taking low-dose aspirin for 4 wk on small intestinal complications and to examine the preventive effect of rebamipide.

METHODS: This study was conducted as a single-center, randomized, double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled study. Eleven healthy male subjects were enrolled. Each subject underwent video capsule endoscopy after 1 and 4 wk of taking aspirin and omeprazole, along with either rebamipide or placebo therapy. The primary endpoint was to evaluate small bowel damage in healthy subjects before and after taking low-dose aspirin for 4 wk.

RESULTS: The number of subjects with mucosal breaks (defined as multiple erosions and/or ulcers) were 1 at 1 wk and 1 at 4 wk on the jejunum, and 6 at 1 wk (P = 0.0061) and 7 at 4 wk on the ileum (P = 0.0019). Rebamipide significantly prevented mucosal breaks on the ileum compared with the placebo group (P = 0.0173 at 1 wk and P = 0.0266 at 4 wk).

CONCLUSION: Longer-term, low-dose aspirin administration induced damage in the small bowel. Rebamipide prevented this damage, and may be a candidate drug for treating aspirin-induced small bowel complications.

Keywords: Healthy subjects; Low-dose aspirin; Small bowel injury; Capsule endoscopy; Rebamipide