Abstract
Gastric lesions seemingly resulting from indomethacin suppositories were endoscopically examind. The following results were obtained :1) The gastric lesions occurred more commonly among aged people; 68 years in avalage (4 men and 2 women). 2) On the amalysis of underlying diseases there were articular rheumatism in 2 patients, lower back pain in 2 patients, and fever due to common cold in 2 patients.3) The main complaint was hematoemesis in all the patients, 2 of whom also had sever epigastric pain. 4) The gastric lesions occurre at the earliest within 10 hours after the insertion of a suppository, but they usually occurred 2 or 3 days later. The dosage was 50mg to 350 mg.5) The gastric lesions were gastric ulcers and were endoscopically characterized by ovoid, irregular, and band-like structures, The site of occurrence was the horn or the body of the stomach. Because they were cured within one to three months after conser-vative treatment, they seemed to be acute gastric ulcers. The role of prostaglandin at the barrier of the gastric mucosa has been focussed on recently. It is believed that non steroidal antiinflammatory agents inhibit the production of prostaglandin and subsequently disturb the gastric mucosa. Therefore, it seems that when indomethacin suppositories are used, prostaglandin plays a role in the occurrence of gastric ulcers. The relations between indomethacin suppositories and prostaglandin will be focussed on when the occurrence of gastric ulcers due to a drug is clarified.
