Indomethacin-induced colonic ulceration and bleeding

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced lower gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. CASE SUMMARY: A patient in whom short-term ingestion of indomethacin was associated with colonic ulceration and significant gastrointestinal bleeding is described. DISCUSSION: The bleeding ulceration of the ascending colon, associated in our patient with short-term indomethacin intake, confirms previous reports of the drug's deleterious effect on the lower GI tract. The incidence of NSAID injury of the small intestinal colon may be higher than that previously reported. CONCLUSIONS: A prospective study of NSAID users could assess the magnitude of lower GI lesions, concomitant with upper GI evaluation, and help determine limitations in the use of this drug class.