Gastrointestinal Blood Loss, Gastroscopy and Coagulation Factors in Normal Volunteers During Administration of Acetylsalicylic Acid and Fluproquazone

Abstract

The influence of one week's treatment of fluproquazone, 300 mg daily, and acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin, Bayer), 3000 mg daily, on the gastro-intestinal tract and coagulation factors was compared in a randomized cross-over study in 12 healthy male volunteers. Gastroscopy revealed two acute erosions after fluproquazone in one subject, whereas 11 of the 12 subjects showed a total of about 80 erosions, petechiae or diffuse bleeding after aspirin. Median faecal blood loss, as assessed by means of 51Cr tagging and measurement of bulk radioactivity in a whole-body counter, were significantly (p less than 0.01) raised, from 1.8 (range 0-6.5) ml during the preceding control week to 6.0 (range 1.9-10.5) ml after treatment with aspirin. No significant difference was recorded between control and treatment weeks with fluproquazone. Mean bleeding time was significantly increased by 40% with aspirin, whereas no statistically significant change was observed with fluproquazone. The prostaglandin synthesis was not significantly influenced by fluproquazone but was almost completely suppressed by aspirin. Coagulation factor II-VII-X decreased slightly, but remained within the normal range with both drugs. This study demonstrated a markedly smaller effect of fluproquazone compared with aspirin on the gastro-intestinal tract and on haemostatic factors.