Incidence of Steroid Ulcer

Since their introduction into clinical medicine 20 years ago, the glucocorticoids have become therapeutic agents of major importance. They have become associated with numerous clinical consequences involving every system of the body', including the gastrointestinal tract2'3. It now seems pertinent and valuable to review critically the clinically relevant consequences of glucocorticoid therapy for the gastrointestinal tract. This study will concentrate upon those sequelae that can be attributable to the glucocorticoids per se rather than to the possible effects of the basic underlying disease for which the steroids were prescribed, or to their possible androgenic and/or mineral corticoid actions.