The potential risk factors leading to peptic ulcer formation in autoimmune disease patients receiving corticosteroid treatment.

AIM: To study the potential risk factors leading to peptic ulcer disease among autoimmune disease patients on corticosteroid treatment.
METHODS: One hundred and thirty-eight corticosteroid-treated autoimmune disease patients were enrolled; their demographic data were recorded and laboratory data were measured. Endoscopy was performed to assess the occurrence of peptic ulcer disease. Helicobacter pylori infection was diagnosed on the basis of rapid urease test and histological examination.
RESULTS: Twenty-eight (20%) of 138 autoimmune disease patients had peptic ulcer disease, including 17 with gastric ulcer, eight with duodenal ulcer and three with gastric ulcer plus duodenal ulcer. Eighty five (62%) had used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and 46 (33%) had H. pylori infection. The majority of peptic ulcer disease subjects showed the following characteristics: age >or= 60 years; male; smokers; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug users, particularly the non-specific cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors; presence of hyperpepsinogenaemia I; low H. pylori colonization (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that an age >or= 60 years [odds ratio (OR), 6.80; P = 0.001], smoking (OR, 7.94; P = 0.004) and the use of non-specific cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors (OR, 4.71; P = 0.030) were the predominant risk factors for the development of peptic ulcer disease among these patients, whereas H. pylori infection showed a protective role (OR, 0.20; P = 0.022).
CONCLUSIONS: Old age, smoking and the use of non-specific cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors are risk factors for peptic ulcer disease in autoimmune disease patients on corticosteroid treatment. H. pylori infection appears to protect against peptic ulcer disease in these patients.