Coxibs, NSAIDs urged for osteoarthritis

CLEVELAND, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- A panel of U.S. arthritis research experts has recommended the use of Cox-2 and other non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs for treating osteoarthritis.

The panel, led by Professor Roland Moskowitz of Case Western Reserve University, said the use of NSAIDS must remain a significant part of the treatment regimens for osteoarthritis.

The panel summarized the outcomes of an international workshop organized by the Osteoarthritis Research Society International and the International COX-2 Study Group, held earlier this year. The panel urges an evidence-based approach be taken when making recommendations to patients.

The panel's findings come in a controversy concerning the safest and most efficacious way of treating the disease in the face of adverse reactions related to the gastrointestinal tract, particularly with non-selective NSAIDs.

A recent statement from the American Heart Association made recommendations that are challenged by the panel, including a stepped care approach to pharmacologic therapy for musculoskeletal diseases.

The panel's recommendations are detailed in an editorial appearing in the current issue of the international journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage.