Korean J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr.  2003 Mar;6(1):10-16.

Risk of Gastrointestinal Bleeding Associated with Use of Low-dose Aspirin in Korean Children

• Bae SH
• Son DW
• Park KH

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding associated with use of low-dose aspirin in children.
METHODS
Among about 250 children who received low-dose aspirin (5 mg/kg/day) under the diagnosis of Kawasaki disease, from March 1995 to May 2001, at Eul-Ji general hospital, 100 children were enrolled in this study. We reviewed the medical records and interviewed the children's parents over the phone to confirm the existence of gross gastrointestinal bleeding.
RESULTS
The age of the children at the beginning of medication ranged 4~118 months. About 75% of them was younger than 3 years old. The duration of medication ranged 0.5~17 months. About 70% of the children took the medicine for 2~3 months. Only 1 child (1%) had hematochezia during medication without any accompanying gastrointestinal symptom, and cimetidine for 1 week had cleared up the bleeding. The total duration of medication of 100 children was 341.5 months, and only 1 child had gastrointestinal bleeding. This translates into a rate of clinically significant gastrointestinal bleeding of 3.5 episodes/100 children/year.
CONCLUSION
The long-term use of low-dose aspirin is safe, but, is associated with the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding in children. Careful follow-up and efforts to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding are necessary during long-term low-dose aspirin therapy in children.

Keyword

Low dose aspirin; Gastrointestinal bleeding; Children

MeSH Terms

Aspirin*
Child*
Child, Preschool
Cimetidine
Diagnosis
Follow-Up Studies
Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage
Hemorrhage*
Hospitals, General
Humans
Medical Records
Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome
Parents
Aspirin
Cimetidine