Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of lumiracoxib compared with placebo and celecoxib in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Following a 3- to 7-day washout period for previous non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, 1600 patients aged ≥18 years with primary knee OA were randomized to receive lumiracoxib 200 or 400 mg once daily (o.d.), celecoxib 200 mg o.d. or placebo for 13 weeks. Primary efficacy variables were OA pain intensity in the target knee, patient’s global assessment of disease activity and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain subscale and total scores at week 13. Secondary variables included OA pain intensity in the target knee and physician’s and patient’s global assessments of disease activity by visit. Exploratory analysis of responder rates using the Outcomes Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trials-Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OMERACT-OARSI) criteria was performed. Safety and tolerability were assessed. Lumiracoxib was superior to placebo in all primary and secondary variables and was generally similar to celecoxib. There were no statistically significant differences between the two doses of lumiracoxib. All active treatments were significantly more effective than placebo at weeks 2 and 13 in terms of response to treatment assessed using OMERACT-OARSI criteria. The incidence of adverse events was similar across the groups. Lumiracoxib 200 mg o.d. is a well-tolerated and effective treatment option for OA of the knee, providing pain relief and improved functional status with efficacy superior to placebo and similar to celecoxib. Lumiracoxib demonstrated a tolerability profile similar to placebo and celecoxib.
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Acknowledgements
Study supported by Novartis Pharma AG. The authors would like to acknowledge Ornella Della Casa Alberighi for her invaluable contribution on the OARSI-OMERACT data interpretation.
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Argentina
Dr. Eduardo Albiero, Cordoba; Dr. Alejandra Babini, Cordoba; Dr. Francisco Caeiro, Cordoba; Dr. Osvaldo Hubscher, Buenos Aires; Dr. Eduardo Kerzberg, Buenos Aires; Dr. José Maldonado-Cocco, Buenos Aires; Dr. Bernardo Pons Estell, Rosario, Dr. Guillermo Tate, Buenos Aires; Dr. José Zanchetta, Buenos Aires.
Chile
Dr. Maria Teresa Contreras, Santiago; Dr. Oscar Neira, Santiago.
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Dr. Oswaldo Lazala, Colombia; Dr. Federico Rondon, Colombia.
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Dr. Felipe Becerra, Lima.
Uruguay
Dr. Mirtha Carleo, Montevideo.
Venezula
Dr. Emesto Garcia MacGregor, Estado Zulia; Dr. Jose Herrera, Caracas.
Switzerland
Dr. A Aeschlimann, Zurzach; Dr. Jean Dudler, Lausanne; Dr. Paul Hasler, Basel; Dr. Peter John, Jenoure; Dr. Daniel Van Linthoud, La Chaux-de-Fonds; Dr. Urs Moser, Liestal; Dr. M Pellaton, Neuchâtel; Dr. Hans-Ulrich Rentsch, St. Gallen; Dr. Hans Schwarz, Basel; Dr. Jurg Sturzenegger, Kreuzlingen; Dr. R Theiler, Aarau; Dr. Madeleine Trachsel, Montreux; Dr. Daniel Uebelhart, Zürich; Dr. Jean-Jacques Volken, Sierre.
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Fleischmann, R., Sheldon, E., Maldonado-Cocco, J. et al. Lumiracoxib is effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee: a prospective randomized 13-week study versus placebo and celecoxib. Clin Rheumatol 25, 42–53 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-005-1126-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-005-1126-5