Rheumatoid Arthritis: Curtis SP

Collantes E, Curtis SP, Lee KW, Casas N, McCarthy T, Melian A, Zhao PL, Rodgers DB, McCormick CL, Lee M, Lines CR, Gertz BJ, Anonymous00289. · Hospital Reina Sofia, Cordoba, Spain. · BMC Fam Pract. · Pubmed #12033987 links to  free full text

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Etoricoxib is a highly selective COX-2 inhibitor which was evaluated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Double-blind, randomized, placebo and active comparator-controlled, 12-week study conducted at 67 sites in 28 countries. Eligible patients were chronic NSAID users who demonstrated a clinical worsening of arthritis upon withdrawal of prestudy NSAIDs. Patients received either placebo, etoricoxib 90 mg once daily, or naproxen 500 mg twice daily (2:2:1 allocation ratio). Primary efficacy measures included direct assessment of arthritis by counts of tender and swollen joints, and patient and investigator global assessments of disease activity. Key secondary measures included the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire, patient global assessment of pain, and the percentage of patients who achieved ACR20 responder criteria response (a composite of pain, inflammation, function, and global assessments). Tolerability was assessed by adverse events and routine laboratory evaluations. RESULTS: 1171 patients were screened, 891 patients were randomized (N = 357 for placebo, N = 353 for etoricoxib, and N = 181 for naproxen), and 687 completed 12 weeks of treatment (N = 242 for placebo, N = 294 for etoricoxib, and N = 151 for naproxen). Compared with patients receiving placebo, patients receiving etoricoxib and naproxen showed significant improvements in all efficacy endpoints (p<0.05). Treatment responses were similar between the etoricoxib and naproxen groups for all endpoints. The percentage of patients who achieved ACR20 responder criteria response was 41% in the placebo group, 59% in the etoricoxib group, and 58% in the naproxen group. Etoricoxib and naproxen were both generally well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, etoricoxib 90 mg once daily was more effective than placebo and similar in efficacy to naproxen 500 mg twice daily for treating patients with RA over 12 weeks. Etoricoxib 90 mg was generally well tolerated in RA patients.

Krum H, Curtis SP, Kaur A, Wang H, Smugar SS, Weir MR, Laine L, Brater DC, Cannon CP. · Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, NHMRC Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Therapeutics, Monash University, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne Vic 3004, Australia. · Eur J Heart Fail. · Pubmed #19380329 No free full text.

Abstract: AIMS: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been associated with increased risk of congestive heart failure (CHF). We aimed to assess the impact of treatment with etoricoxib or diclofenac on risk of CHF relative to baseline risk factors. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a multivariate analysis of 34 701 patients with arthritis receiving etoricoxib 60 or 90 mg, or diclofenac 150 mg, daily for a mean of 18 months, to assess the incidence of confirmed, adjudicated CHF events resulting in emergency room visit or hospitalization. Analyses were performed using a Cox proportional hazard model to evaluate the hazard ratio (HR) between the levels of each risk marker for the incidence of CHF. Significant risk markers included history of CHF (HR: 6.69, 95% CI 3.59-12.47; P <0.0001), age > or = 65 years (2.56, 1.65-3.98; P <0.0001), and history of hypertension (1.83, 1.16-2.89; P = 0.0094) or diabetes (1.83, 1.15-2.94; P = 0.0116). Etoricoxib vs. diclofenac was a significant risk factor only when pooling the etoricoxib 90 mg cohorts (1.88; 1.13-3.10; P = 0.0143). Etoricoxib 60 mg did not significantly increase risk vs. diclofenac. CONCLUSION: History of CHF was highly associated with risk for CHF hospitalization. Hypertension, diabetes, and older age also increased risk modestly. There appeared to be a dose-related increase in CHF with etoricoxib compared with diclofenac, which reached statistical significance when the etoricoxib 90 mg groups (osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis) were pooled.

Laine L, Goldkind L, Curtis SP, Connors LG, Yanqiong Z, Cannon CP. · University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA. · Am J Gastroenterol. · Pubmed #19174782 No free full text.

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: Few data are available from prospective trials to define the hepatotoxicity of diclofenac, the most widely prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in the world. We determined the rate of laboratory and clinical adverse hepatic effects in a large double-blind trial of diclofenac. METHODS: Patients > or = 50 years with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis were randomly assigned to diclofenac (150 mg daily) or etoricoxib (60 or 90 mg daily). Patients with hepatic disease or who reported > or = 14 alcoholic drinks weekly were excluded. Patients had visits (with liver tests) every 4 months and were contacted by phone between visits and every 6 months after discontinuation until the end of the study. Causality assessment was performed for liver-related hospitalizations, Hy's cases (serious adverse events with AST or ALT >3 x upper limit of normal (ULN) and bilirubin >2 xULN), and liver failure/transplant/death. RESULTS: A total of 17,289 patients received diclofenac for a mean of 18 months. Liver end points with diclofenac were ALT/AST>3 xULN: 527(3.1%); ALT/AST >10 xULN: 86(0.5%); liver-related hospitalizations: 4(0.023%); Hy's cases: 2(0.012%); liver failure/death/transplant: 0. Aminotransferase elevations occurred primarily within the first 4-6 months of therapy, whereas liver-related hospitalizations occurred between 9 days and 21 months. CONCLUSIONS: Diclofenac is commonly associated with aminotransferase elevations, generally in the first 4-6 months of therapy. Clinical liver events requiring hospitalization are relatively rare (23/100,000 patients), but may develop early or late in therapy. The markedly increased rate of aminotransferase elevation with diclofenac may not be paralleled by a proportional marked increase in clinical liver events, although clinical events potentially also may be decreased with regular monitoring in a clinical trial setting.

Laine L, Curtis SP, Langman M, Jensen DM, Cryer B, Kaur A, Cannon CP. · Division of Gastrointestinal & Liver Diseases, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA. · Gastroenterology. · Pubmed #18823986 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND & AIMS: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) cause lower gastrointestinal (GI) clinical events such as bleeding. Cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2 selective inhibitors decrease upper GI events, but no prospective trial has prespecified assessment of lower GI clinical events. METHODS: Patients >or=50 years old with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis were randomly assigned to etoricoxib (60 or 90 mg qd) or diclofenac (150 mg qd). Lower GI clinical events, confirmed by a blinded adjudication committee, included perforation or obstruction requiring hospitalization or bleeding (gross or occult rectal bleeding without upper GI cause associated with hypotension, orthostatic changes in heart rate [>20 beats per minute] or blood pressure [>20 mmHg systolic or >10 mmHg diastolic], hemoglobin drop >or=2 g/dl, or transfusion; or observed active bleeding or stigmata of hemorrhage). RESULTS: We enrolled 34,701 patients with mean duration of therapy of 18 months. Rates were 0.32 and 0.38 lower GI clinical events per 100 patient-years for etoricoxib and diclofenac (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-1.13). Bleeding was the most common event (rates of 0.19 and 0.23 per 100 patient-years, respectively). Multivariable analysis revealed significant risk factors to be prior lower GI event (HR = 4.06; 95% CI, 2.93-5.62) and age >or=65 years (HR = 1.98; 95% CI, 1.45-2.71). CONCLUSIONS: A statistically significant decrease in lower GI clinical events was not seen with the COX-2 selective inhibitor etoricoxib versus the traditional NSAID diclofenac. The risk of a lower GI clinical event with NSAID use seems to be constant over time, and the major risk factors are a prior lower GI event and older age.

Matsumoto A, Melian A, Shah A, Curtis SP. · Arthritis and Rheumatism Associates, Wheaton, MD, USA. · Curr Med Res Opin. · Pubmed #17697449 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Etoricoxib is a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) selective inhibitor effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. An initial 12-week treatment study found that etoricoxib (90 mg once daily) was more effective than naproxen (500 mg twice daily) or placebo in treating rheumatoid arthritis. The present two-part extension of that study was performed to monitor tolerability and examine long-term efficacy of etoricoxib 90 mg or 120 mg compared with naproxen. METHODS: Patients completing the initial 12-week study and those discontinuing due to lack of efficacy, were eligible for the Extension Study Part I (12-52 weeks) and assigned (2:1:2 ratio) to receive etoricoxib (90 mg or 120 mg daily) or naproxen (500 mg twice daily); these patients remained on the same therapy for Extension Study Part II (52-121 weeks). Primary outcome measures included investigator and patient assessment of disease activity, and tender and swollen joint counts. RESULTS: Of 816 patients enrolled in the initial 12-week trial, 717 continued into the Extension Study Part I; 505 patients completed and 390 entered the Extension Study Part II, with 283 patients completing 121 weeks. Patients receiving etoricoxib (90 mg) or naproxen throughout the study experienced sustained efficacy in all outcomes, as did patients transitioning to etoricoxib (120 mg) following the initial 12-week trial. Patients transitioning from placebo to etoricoxib (90 mg) experienced rapid, sustained improvements in all outcome measures. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, etoricoxib provided sustained efficacy throughout the 121-week study, with efficacy comparable to naproxen.

Laine L, Curtis SP, Cryer B, Kaur A, Cannon CP, Anonymous00007. · Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA. · Lancet. · Pubmed #17292766 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Upper gastrointestinal safety of cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2 selective inhibitors versus traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) has not been assessed in trials that simulate standard clinical practice. Our aim was to assess the effects of these drugs on gastrointestinal outcomes in a population that includes patients taking gastrointestinal protective therapy. METHODS: A prespecified pooled intent-to-treat analysis of three double-blind randomised comparisons of etoricoxib (60 or 90 mg daily) and diclofenac (150 mg daily) in 34 701 patients with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis was done for upper gastrointestinal clinical events (bleeding, perforation, obstruction, or ulcer) and the subset of complicated events (perforation, obstruction, witnessed ulcer bleeding, or significant bleeding). We also assessed such outcomes in patients who were taking concomitant proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) or low-dose aspirin. These trials are registered with , with the numbers , , and . FINDINGS: Overall upper gastrointestinal clinical events were significantly less common with etoricoxib than with diclofenac (hazard ratio [HR] 0.69, 95% CI 0.57-0.83; p=0.0001). There were significantly fewer uncomplicated gastrointestinal events with etoricoxib than there were with diclofenac (0.57, 0.45-0.74; p<0.0001); there was no difference in complicated events (0.91, 0.67-1.24; p=0.561). PPIs were used concomitantly for at least 75% of the study period by 13 862 (40%) and low-dose aspirin by 11 418 (33%) patients; treatment effects did not differ significantly in these individuals. INTERPRETATION: There were significantly fewer upper gastrointestinal clinical events with the COX-2 selective inhibitor etoricoxib than with the traditional NSAID diclofenac due to a decrease in uncomplicated events, but not in the more serious complicated events. The reduction in uncomplicated events with etoricoxib is maintained in patients treated with PPIs and is also observed with regular low-dose aspirin use.

Curtis SP, Ko AT, Bolognese JA, Cavanaugh PF, Reicin AS. · Merck Research Laboratories, Rahway, NJ 07065, USA. · Curr Med Res Opin. · Pubmed #17265571 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: A pooled analysis of randomized clinical trials data was performed to compare the rate of thrombotic cardiovascular events (thrombotic events) in patients taking the COX-2 selective inhibitor (coxib) etoricoxib, a traditional NSAID, or placebo. METHODS: Data collected during all phase IIb/III etoricoxib clinical trials > or = 4 weeks in duration were evaluated. The pooled data set includes clinical information from approximately 6500 patient-years (PYs) of drug exposure in patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), or chronic low back pain (CLBP). Patients were treated with either etoricoxib (> or = 60 mg/day), the traditional NSAIDs naproxen (1000 mg/day), ibuprofen (2400 mg/day), diclofenac (150 mg/day), or placebo. The Relative risks (RRs) based on time to first occurrence of a thrombotic event in the etoricoxib group versus the comparator traditional NSAIDs or versus placebo were determined using patient-level data. RESULTS: In the pooled dataset, a total of 74 thrombotic events occurred in 69 patients. The RRs for thrombotic events were 1.11 (95%CI: 0.32, 3.81) for etoricoxib (N = 2818) versus placebo (N = 1767); 0.83 (95%CI: 0.26, 2.64) for etoricoxib (N = 1266) versus the combined non-naproxen traditional NSAID group (ibuprofen and diclofenac; N = 718); and 1.70 (95%CI: 0.91, 3.18) for etoricoxib (N = 1960) versus naproxen (N = 1497). CONCLUSIONS: There was no discernible difference in the incidence of thrombotic events in patients treated with etoricoxib versus non-naproxen traditional NSAIDs in this limited dataset. A trend toward more events with etoricoxib versus naproxen was observed. Despite the limited dataset available for this pooled analysis, these results are consistent with findings for other coxibs.

Cannon CP, Curtis SP, FitzGerald GA, Krum H, Kaur A, Bolognese JA, Reicin AS, Bombardier C, Weinblatt ME, van der Heijde D, Erdmann E, Laine L, Anonymous00100. · Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) Study Group, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. · Lancet. · Pubmed #17113426 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) selective inhibitors have been associated with an increased risk of thrombotic cardiovascular events in placebo-controlled trials, but no clinical trial has been reported with the primary aim of assessing relative cardiovascular risk of these drugs compared with traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The MEDAL programme was designed to provide a precise estimate of thrombotic cardiovascular events with the COX-2 selective inhibitor etoricoxib versus the traditional NSAID diclofenac. METHODS: We designed a prespecified pooled analysis of data from three trials in which patients with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis were randomly assigned to etoricoxib (60 mg or 90 mg daily) or diclofenac (150 mg daily). The primary hypothesis stated that etoricoxib is not inferior to diclofenac, defined as an upper boundary of less than 1.30 for the 95% CI of the hazard ratio for thrombotic cardiovascular events in the per-protocol analysis. Intention-to-treat analyses were also done to assess consistency of results. These trials are registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov with the numbers NCT00092703, NCT00092742, and NCT00250445. FINDINGS: 34 701 patients (24 913 with osteoarthritis and 9 787 with rheumatoid arthritis) were enrolled. Average treatment duration was 18 months (SD 11.8). 320 patients in the etoricoxib group and 323 in the diclofenac group had thrombotic cardiovascular events, yielding event rates of 1.24 and 1.30 per 100 patient-years and a hazard ratio of 0.95 (95% CI 0.81-1.11) for etoricoxib compared with diclofenac. Rates of upper gastrointestinal clinical events (perforation, bleeding, obstruction, ulcer) were lower with etoricoxib than with diclofenac (0.67 vs 0.97 per 100 patient-years; hazard ratio 0.69 [0.57-0.83]), but the rates of complicated upper gastrointestinal events were similar for etoricoxib (0.30) and diclofenac (0.32). INTERPRETATION: Rates of thrombotic cardiovascular events in patients with arthritis on etoricoxib are similar to those in patients on diclofenac with long-term use of these drugs.

Cannon CP, Curtis SP, Bolognese JA, Laine L, Anonymous00220. · The TIMI Study Group, Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. · Am Heart J. · Pubmed #16875903 No free full text.

Abstract: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are frequently needed for the treatment of patients with arthritis. However, long-term use of such drugs that are cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) selective inhibitors has been reported to increase cardiovascular risk as compared with placebo, whereas long-term, randomized controlled trials assessing the risk of traditional NSAIDs versus placebo are lacking. The MEDAL program is designed to provide a precise estimate of the relative cardiovascular event rates with the COX-2 selective inhibitor etoricoxib in comparison to the traditional NSAID diclofenac in patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The MEDAL program consists of 3 multinational, randomized, double-blind trials in patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis comparing etoricoxib (60 or 90 mg daily) to diclofenac (150 mg daily). All investigator-reported thrombotic cardiovascular events will be adjudicated by an independent panel of experts blinded to treatment assignment. The primary analysis is a noninferiority comparison of etoricoxib versus diclofenac for confirmed thrombotic cardiovascular events, defined as an upper bound of the 95% CI for a hazard ratio of < 1.30. With the planned 635 observed events from approximately 40,000 patient-years of exposure, using an estimated annual event rate of 1.30% in the control arm, the maximum annual event rate for etoricoxib that would meet the noninferiority criteria would be approximately 1.46%, yielding a hazard ratio of 1.12. A total of 34,701 patients have been enrolled in the MEDAL program. Roughly 13,000 and 10,000 patients will, respectively, have had > or = 18 or > or = 24 months of exposure, with maximum exposure of approximately 40 months. The MEDAL program will help to better define the risk-to-benefit ratio of 2 NSAIDs, that differ in their selectivity for COX-2, notably diclofenac and etoricoxib.

Ramey DR, Watson DJ, Yu C, Bolognese JA, Curtis SP, Reicin AS. · Epidemiology, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, PA 19486, USA. · Curr Med Res Opin. · Pubmed #15974563 No free full text.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: In spite of numerous studies demonstrating the serious gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity associated with non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), many patients at high GI risk continue to receive prescriptions for these drugs, often without gastroprotective agents. Etoricoxib, a COX-2 specific inhibitor, was developed to provide similar efficacy and less GI toxicity than non-selective NSAIDs. We compared the incidence of upper GI Perforations, symptomatic gastroduodenal Ulcers, and upper GI Bleeding (PUBs) in a combined analysis of all randomized, double-blind, clinical trials of chronic treatment with etoricoxib versus NSAIDs completed by June 2003. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Data for 5441 individual subjects with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis were pooled from all 10 multinational etoricoxib trials completed by June 2003. Information on suspected PUBs was prospectively collected in all protocols, and all investigator-reported PUBs were judged by a blinded, external adjudication committee using pre-specified criteria. PUBs were analyzed using COX proportional hazards models using terms for treatment and known PUB risk factors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The incidence of confirmed PUBs among patients treated with etoricoxib 60 mg, 90 mg, or 120 mg (combined N=3226) was compared to that among patients treated with ibuprofen, diclofenac, or naproxen (combined N=2215). RESULTS: The incidence of PUBs over 44.3 months was significantly lower with etoricoxib vs. NSAIDs [cumulative incidence 1.24% vs. 2.48%, p < 0.001; rate/100 patient-years 1.00 vs. 2.47; relative risk 0.48, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.32, 0.73]. Results of analysis of events occurring during the first year of treatment and subgroup analyses were consistent with the primary result. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with etoricoxib was associated with a significantly lower incidence of PUBs than was treatment with non-selective NSAIDs. The difference was consistent in subgroups of patients defined by a variety of known risk factors.

Curtis SP, Ng J, Yu Q, Shingo S, Bergman G, McCormick CL, Reicin AS. · Department of Clinical Research, Merck Research Laboratories, Rahway, New Jersey 07065, USA. · Clin Ther. · Pubmed #14996519 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Based on the experience with selective cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors, including rofecoxib, valdecoxib, and celecoxib, it was anticipated that etoricoxib, a new selective COX-2 inhibitor, would display mechanism-based, dose-dependent renal adverse effects (AEs) similar to those observed with nonselective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in long-term treatment. OBJECTIVE: The present analysis examined pooled safety data from the etoricoxib clinical development program with the aim of comparing the renal AE profiles of etoricoxib 60, 90, and 120 mg/d with those of approved therapeutic dosages of the comparator nonselective NSAIDs, naproxen 1000 mg/d and ibuprofen 2400 mg/d, and with that of placebo. METHODS: The etoricoxib program database included data from 8 placebo-controlled Phase III studies of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic low back pain. As part of the program-wide assessment of etoricoxib, the investigator-reported incidence of and discontinuations due to renal AEs, including hypertension, lower-extremity edema (LEE), elevated serum creatinine concentration (SCC), and congestive heart failure (CHF) were examined. RESULTS: Data from 4770 patients were included in the analysis. Most patients were women (69.0%-80.3%), and most were white (68.0%-83.3%). The mean (SD) age at baseline ranged from 53.6 (12.1) to 62.2 (8.4) years. Overall, the incidence of renal AEs was low and generally similar between the active-treatment groups. In the placebo; etoricoxib 60-, 90-, and 120-mg; naproxen, and ibuprofen groups, the incidences of hypertension were 2.0%, 4.0%, 3.4%, 4.7%, 2.9%, and 6.6%, respectively, and the incidences of LEE were 1.9%, 3.2%, 1.5%, 1.3%, 2.3%, and 1.8%, respectively. The only significant difference found was the incidence of hypertension with etoricoxib 90 mg/d versus that with placebo (P=0.001); however, the rates of hypertension observed with etoricoxib at any dosage were not clinically meaningfully different versus comparator NSAIDs. Also, LEE was rarely of clinical significance with etoricoxib or comparator NSAIDs; related discontinuations were infrequent in all treatment groups. In addition, the incidences of elevated SCC and CHF were low among active-treatment groups (0.0% to 0.8% and 0.0% to 0.2%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Based on this combined data review, the risks for renal AEs (i.e., hypertension, LEE, elevated SCC changes, and CHF) with etoricoxib 60, 90, and 120 mg/d were low, with a shallow dose response, and were generally similar to those found with the comparator NSAIDs naproxen 1000 mg/d and ibuprofen 2400 mg/d.