Gastric mucosal damage caused by plain and microencapsulated acetylsalicylic acid tablets in healthy subjects: a gastrocamera study.

In a randomized, cross-over study plain acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) tablet and microencapsulated ASA tablets were given in doses of 1 gram 3 times a day for 3 days to 8 healthy subjects with no previous gastrointestinal disturbances. Gastrocamera examinations were performed before the ASA treatment and 1--2 hours after the last dose of ASA. The gastric mucosa appeared macroscopically normal at all the control examinations; whereas musocal bleeding was evident in all the subjects after the ASA treatment. There was no statistically significant difference between the plain ASA and the microencapsulated ASA preparations. No correlation could be found between the ASA concentration in plasma and the gastric mucosal damage.