The findings contradict some of the researchers’ belief that the rival drugs offer superior cardiovascular (CV) health safety.
The study demonstrated that patients with chronic arthritic conditions and CV risk factors taking celecoxib experienced numerically fewer cardiovascular events as compared to those receiving prescription strength doses of its rivals.
A primary endpoint was seen in 2.3% of patients receiving celecoxib as compared to 2.5% for patients receiving naproxen and 2.7% for ibuprofen.
With respect to secondary analyses, significantly fewer GI events occurred among patients treated with celecoxib as compared with those receiving prescription doses of either ibuprofen or naproxen.
Sever gastrointestinal events occurred in 1.1 percent of patients receiving celecoxib as compared to 1.5% for those receiving prescription doses of naproxen and 1.6% for patients receiving prescription doses of ibuprofen.
Pfizer said the gastrointestinal safety findings were seen despite offering all patients enrolled in the study with a proton pump inhibitor to decrease stomach acids.
In addition, the secondary endpoint involving renal events occurred with a lower frequency in patients treated with celecoxib as compared to prescription doses of ibuprofen.
Pfizer chairman and CEO Ian Read said: “We are pleased with the results of this landmark study. Questions about the cardiovascular safety of prescription NSAIDs have persisted since the withdrawal of Vioxx (rofecoxib) from the market in 2004.
“The study demonstrated that patients treated with prescription doses of celecoxib, ibuprofen or naproxen had similar rates of cardiovascular events and dispels the long held perception of excess cardiovascular risk associated with long term use of Celebrex.”
Image: Pfizer World Headquarters New York City. Photo: courtesy of Norbert Nagel, Mörfelden-Walldorf, Germany.