Increased risk of myocardial infarction as first manifestation of ischaemic heart disease and nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Aims: Selective cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors have recently been implicated as enhancing risk of myocardial infarction (MI). Nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are also effective COX-2 inhibitors, so we investigated the hypothesis that they too increase risk of MI.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study with direct structured interview of cases and controls.

Interactions between Helicobacter pylori and other risk factors for peptic ulcer bleeding.

Aim: To investigate the role of Helicobacter pylori, expressing the virulence marker CAGA (cytotoxin associated gene product A) in ulcer complications and its interaction with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and other risk factors.

Design: Case control study using conditional logistic regression analysis.

Setting: University and City Hospitals, Nottingham.

Drug treatments in upper gastrointestinal bleeding: value of endoscopic findings as surrogate end points.

Introduction: Pharmacotherapy for upper gastrointestinal bleeding has been difficult to evaluate because clinical end points are infrequent and affected by other factors.

Aims: To evaluate whether blood in the stomach at endoscopy reflected severity of bleeding, predicted clinical outcomes, and could be altered by therapeutic agents.

Methods: We studied 414 consecutive admissions with suspected upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Peptic ulcer bleeding in the elderly: relative roles of Helicobacter pylori and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Background: Most ulcers are caused, one can deduce, by Helicobacter pylori or by use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Whether both together are worse than one alone is something that is quite unknown.

Aim: To study both factors in order to see wither they interact together positively.

Effect of information leaflets on knowledge in patients with gastrointestinal diseases.

Twelve patient information leaflets concerning common gastrointestinal diseases were produced by the British Digestive Foundation and evaluated to determine whether patients knew more about their disease if they received a leaflet. Eleven hundred and fifty patients attending gastroenterology clinics in the United Kingdom were assessed by postal questionnaire of whom half had received a leaflet relevant to their diagnosis six weeks before assessment. Seven hundred and fifty one replied (398 leafleted, 353 non-leafleted).