Gastrointestinal microbleeding after aspirin and naproxen.

Gastrointestinal bleeding is the most serious side effect encountered with the anti-inflammatory antirheumatic drugs. Using the 51Cr labeling technique, the comparative quantity of blood loss with aspirin or naproxen has been previously done on normal volunteers. With the present study, 12 rheumatoid arthritic patients were controlled in a double-blind crossover study with the same radioactive technique. There is a difference in favor of naproxen. The difference between the baseline period and naproxen administration was not statistically significant.