[Effect of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the indicators of cardiovascular risk in patients with acute nonspecific back pain].

AIM: To evaluate the safety of etoricoxib in patients with acute nonspecific back pain associated with the high risk of cardiovascular events (CVE) in clinical practice.

SUBJECTS AND

METHODS

The open prospective follow-up by a simple randomization method included 80 patients, including 49 women and 31 men (mean 60.8±4.7 years). The patients were randomized into 4 groups of 20 persons each: 1) etoricoxib 90 mg/day; 2) nimesulide 100 mg/day; 3) diclofenac 100 mg/day; 4) meloxicam 15 mg/day. The investigation lasted 90±4.5 days. The interim evaluation criteria (study points) were pain changes using a visual analog scale (VAS); blood pressure (BP) changes; diurnal BP rhythm; and changes in coagulation hemostatic parameters and blood biochemical markers. The primary evaluation criteria (study endpoints) were the incidence of CVE in the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

RESULTS

The patients with acute back pain were shown to have a high incidence of comorbidities during outpatient care. The administration of NSAIDs resulted in a significant reduction in the magnitude and intensity of pain syndrome according to VAS in all the groups just on day 3 of therapy with a more marked analgesia in patients receiving etoricoxib and diclofenac. All the groups exhibited an increase in average daily systolic and diastolic BP with the most favorable profile in Group 1 patients. The intake of etoricoxib and other NSAIDs provided no evidence for changes in hemostatic parameters and biochemical markers during 10 weeks. The safety of etoricoxib was comparable with that of NSAIDs in its effect on the plasma hemostatic system.

CONCLUSION

Unlike nimesulide, diclofenac, and meloxicam, etoricoxib was characterized by a rapid steady-state analgesic effect with a less pronounced action on diurnal BP rhythm. Within 3 months after treatment, no acute CVE was recorded in the patients taking etoricoxib.