RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 A population based historical cohort study of the mortality associated with nabumetone, Arthrotec, diclofenac, and naproxen.
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP 951
OP 956
VO 31
IS 5
A1 Nigel L Ashworth
A1 Paul M Peloso
A1 Nazeem Muhajarine
A1 Maryrose Stang
YR 2004
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/31/5/951.abstract
AB OBJECTIVE: To identify the unbiased differences in all cause mortality among populations using 4 non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID): nabumetone, Arthrotec, diclofenac plus a cytoprotective agent dispensed separately (diclofenac+), and naproxen. METHODS: We performed a population based historical cohort study using linked data from several provincial health care databases. Logistic regression was used to produce estimates of the mortality associated with the study drugs unbiased by known confounders. The entire population of the province of Saskatchewan, Canada entitled to drug plan benefits in 1995 was eligible (approximately 91% of 1 million people). Participants were identified if they filled a prescription for one of the 4 study NSAID (18,424 individuals). They were then followed forward in time for 6 months to determine all cause mortality. RESULTS: Compared to nabumetone, the adjusted odds of death for participants taking Arthrotec was 1.4 (95% confidence interval, CI: 0.9-2.1), for diclofenac+ 2.0 (1.3-3.1), and naproxen 3.0 (1.9-4.6). CONCLUSION: The multivariate analysis showed patients taking nabumetone and Arthrotec had significantly lower mortality than those taking other study drugs. Nabumetone had 1/3 to 1/5 the mortality associated with the diclofenac+ and naproxen groups. It appears that inherent gastroprotective strategies in the study NSAID may translate into decreased mortality at the population level.