Clinical Advantages of Celecoxib Over NSAIDs -- How Important Are They?

The cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2)-specific inhibitors are now being used widely because of their potentially lower risk for gastrointestinal complications compared with traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). But how great are the clinical advantages? In the Celecoxib Long-term Arthritis Safety Study (CLASS), an international, double-blind, randomized, controlled, manufacturer-supported trial, researchers examined the differences between COX-2 inhibitors and traditional NSAIDs in 8059 adults with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Patients received celecoxib (400 mg twice daily), ibuprofen (800 mg 3 times daily), or diclofenac (75 mg twice daily). The annualized incidence rates of symptomatic upper GI ulcer complications w…