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A surviving myth - corticosteroids are still considered ulcerogenic by a majority of physicians

Publication at First Faculty of Medicine |
2010

Abstract

Objective.Evidence does not support an association between systemic corticosteroid use and the development of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and prophylactic anti-ulcer therapy is not routinely indicated. The aim was to find out the opinion of physicians in the Czech Republic on corticosteroid-induced ulcers.Materials and methods.A questionnaire-based study targeting 360 physicians of different specialties (100 from Gastroenterology, 100 from General Practice, 80 from Pneumology/Immunology, and 80 from Neurology/Neurosurgery).

Results. Eighty-two percent of the physicians considered corticosteroids ulcerogenic, 7.5% of the responders considered them ulcerogenic only in patients with a family history of PUD, and 10.3% of the physicians considered corticosteroids non-ulcerogenic.

Seventy-five percent of the responders would administer concomitant antisecretory treatment. Sixty-seven percent of the physicians thought that PUD was a frequent complication of corticosteroid therapy.

If the ulcerogenic potent