Published online Sep 14, 2018. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v24.i34.3908
Peer-review started: April 4, 2018
First decision: May 29, 2018
Revised: July 12, 2018
Accepted: July 22, 2018
Article in press: July 21, 2018
Published online: September 14, 2018
Processing time: 163 Days and 18.6 Hours
As the Japanese population ages, the prevalence of cerebrovascular disorders and ischemic heart diseases have been increasing. Under these circumstances, low-dose aspirin (LDA) has increasingly been used for secondary prevention of such conditions in recent years. Severe adverse reactions to LDA include hemorrhagic gastroduodenal ulcer. In the future, the incidences of LDA-induced peptic ulcer and ulcer hemorrhage are expected to rise in the elderly.
As previously reported, the concomitant use of LDA and other antithrombotic drugs increases the risk of ulcer hemorrhage. However, no report of any study that LDA-induced ulcer hemorrhage in elderly patients who expected to become severe. Elucidation of the current status of this condition would thus be useful.
Of patients with hemorrhagic gastroduodenal ulcer caused by oral administration of antithrombotic drugs, those receiving oral LDA, which is likely to be particularly problematic, were targeted. By comparing elderly and non-elderly patients, this study aimed to identify clinical features of the ulcer and factors contributing to its progression to severe conditions. These issues are particularly important in countries that have become aged societies, like Japan, or are aging at a rapid rate.
This study included 1105 patients with hemorrhagic gastroduodenal ulcer, who were divided according age (the elderly group consisting of those 70 years of age or older and the non-elderly group consisting of those less than 70 years of age) and orally administered drugs (the LDA monotherapy group and the LDA combination therapy group). We retrospectively compared and analyzed the length of hospital stay, presence or absence of decreased hemoglobin (Hb) level, use of blood transfusion, rate of severe conditions, etc.
When elderly patients were compared between the LDA monotherapy and LDA combination therapy groups, the rate of severe conditions was higher in the LDA combination therapy group. Concomitant use of LDA with antithrombotic drugs or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs was found to contribute to the progression of severe hemorrhagic gastroduodenal ulcer to severe conditions. Moreover, among the LDA monotherapy group, no significant difference in the rate of severe conditions was observed between elderly and non-elderly patients. Oral administration of LDA alone was not found to be a risk factor for progression to severe conditions in elderly patients.
This study showed that LDA combination therapy contributes to progression to severe conditions, such as markedly decreased Hb levels, increased frequency of blood transfusion, and prolonged hospital stay, in elderly patients. Meanwhile, in cases receiving LDA monotherapy, advanced age is not a risk factor for progression to severe conditions. Based on these findings, when LDA combination therapy is administered to elderly patients, efforts should be made toward adequate prevention of hemorrhage. In cases with ulcer hemorrhage, while treatment is given, appropriate antithrombotic therapy is required to prevent the occurrence of vascular events. Furthermore, apparently, if LDA monotherapy is administered, even elderly patients may be at a risk of progression to severe conditions similar to that in non-elderly patients.
The limitations of this study include the single-center retrospective design. In addition, because the analysis in the LDA combination therapy group was not stratified according to the types of antithrombotic drugs used in combination with LDA, the effects of different combinations of drugs on the risk of hemorrhage should be examined in future studies. Although the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is preferable for prevention of hemorrhage as described in the guidelines, further accumulation of additional data and studies on effects, adverse events, etc. are needed to use PPIs appropriately. Furthermore, evidence must be accumulated for the prophylactic effect of novel therapeutic drugs, such as vonoprazan, for ulcers in elderly patients.