Comparative Effects of Aspirin and Naproxen on Gastric Mucosa

Abstract

Naproxen and aspirin in anti-inflammatory doses were compared for their local effect on the gastric mucosa of healthy, human volunteers in a randomized, crossover, double-blind study. Subjects were gastroscoped following seven-day drug administration periods, gastric photographs obtained and the gastric contents evaluated for blood. All 12 subjects exhibited some degree of gastric pathology following aspirin administration but only one following naproxen administration. The subjects' own assessments of side effects and the occurrence of blood in the gastric contents roughly paralleled the gastroscopy findings.