The Effect of Long-Term Treatment with Prednisone upon the State of the Human Gastric Mucosa

Abstract

Gastric biopsies were obtained from 28 patients (rheumatoid arthritis 20, other collagenoses 3, other diseases 5) before and 2 and 14 weeks after the beginning of prednisone treatment (daily dose 20-40 mg). Basal and maximal acid output were examined in 11 patients.

Of 13 patients with atrophic gastritis 6 showed a regeneration of the normal body glands, and 4 some lessening and one an increase of the ‘inflammatory’ changes. In the remaining patients the state of the mucosa did not respond to treatment.

Eight patients with a normal gastric mucosa and seven with superficial gastritis showed no definite histological changes during the period of prednisone treatment. The basal and maximal acid output revealed some tendency towards an increase.

Key-words:

• Stomach
• gastric mucosa
• gastritis
• prednisone