Importance of Aspirin as a Cause of Anaemia and Peptic Ulcer in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Few would question the value of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Carefully controlled trials (Empire Rheumatism Council, 1957; Medical Research Council and Nuffield Foundation, 1957) have shown little difference between the therapeutic effect of aspirin and cortisone in the long-term manage- ment of this disease.A number of reports have been published which suggest that aspirin may be an important cause of gastro- intestinal bleeding.Douthwaite and Lintott (1938) reported that aspirin can cause anaemia, and showed by gastroscopy that it had an irritant action on the gastric mucosa.