The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 273 No 7329 p842
11 December 2004

This article
Reprint   Photocopy

  Acrobat Reader

News summary

Short term NSAIDS for osteoarthritis

Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee in the long-term cannot be recommended, say the authors of a new meta-analysis. They reviewed 23 eligible trials and found that NSAIDs reduced pain 15.6 per cent better than placebo for short term use (2–13 weeks). They conclude that because of the adverse effects of oral NSAIDs only limited use can be recommended (BMJ 2004;329:1317).