Fecal Blood Loss Caused by two Differently Microencapsulated Acetylsalicylic Acid Preparations in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Prospective Crossover Study

Abstract

In an investigator-blind crossover study, fecal blood loss determined by ⁵¹Cr-labelled red cells was measured in 17 male patients with rheumatoid arthritis and one with anchylosing spondylitis. In two periods, each of one week's duration and separated by a 3-week wash-out period, the patients received microencapsulated acetyl- salicylic acid (ASA) 3 g daily—either with time-dependent (Acetard®) or with pH-dependent release (Reumyl®). With the exception of one patient, who suffered clinically significant bleeding, both preparations produced only moderate bleeding. The bleeding provoked by ASA with pH-dependent release (median blood loss in ml/day: first period 1.6; last period 2.6) was less than with time-dependent release (first period 1.8; last period 3.5).