A questionnaire-based survey on the prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs by physicians in East Asian countries in 2007.

BACKGROUND:Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and aspirin are widely used clinically but increase the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) complications. AIM:To examine the current prescription of NSAIDs and comedication to prevent GI complications from NSAIDs within East Asia by means of a questionnaire survey. METHODS:Representative members of the Committee of the International Gastrointestinal Consensus Symposium provided a questionnaire to physicians in 6 East Asian countries. RESULTS:A total of 1,568 physicians participated in this survey. Most physicians prescribed nonselective NSAIDs, cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors (COXIBs) or aspirin for more than 5 patients per week in all countries, with the exception of the prescription of COXIBs in Japan. Of the nonselective NSAIDs, the drug most frequently prescribed as a first choice was loxoprofen (34%), which was mainly prescribed in Japan, followed by diclofenac (30%). The frequency of prescription of comedication with nonselective NSAIDs was higher compared with that for selective COXIBs or aspirin. Physicians in the northern region (China, Japan and Korea) preferred mucoprotective drugs for comedication with NSAIDs or aspirin, while those in southern region (Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand) frequently used proton-pump inhibitors. CONCLUSION:Among East Asian countries, there are both similarities and differences in the prescription of NSAIDs and of comedication to prevent GI complications.