Table 4Serious gastrointestinal events in observational studies

Author, Year
Study Design
Sample Size
Mean age (yrs)
Country
OutcomeMain Findings
Garcia Rodriguez, 2007102
Nested case-control
Cases: 1561
NR

UK (The Health Improvement Network database)
Upper GI perforation or bleedingNSAID use vs. nonuse of NSAIDs (CI’s not reported and difficult to estimate from graph)
Celecoxib: RR 2.7
Ibuprofen: RR 2.0
Meloxicam: RR 2.7
Diclofenac: RR 3.7
Ketoprofen: RR 5.4
Indomethacin: RR 7.2
Naproxen: RR 8.1
Garcia Rodriguez, 200198
Nested case-control
Cases: 2105
NR

UK (GPRD)
Upper GI perforation or bleedingNSAID use vs. nonuse of NSAIDs
Ibuprofen: RR 2.5 (95% CI 1.9 to 3.4)
Etodolac: RR 2.2 (95% CI 0.4 to 11)
Fenbufen: RR 1.1 (95% CI 0.2 to 5.1)
Mefenamic acid: RR 2.7 (95% CI 0.8 to 9.4)
Ketoprofen: RR 3.3 (95% CI 1.9 to 5.9)
Nabumetone: RR 3.4 (95% CI 1.1 to 11)
Tenoxicam: RR 3.4 (95% CI 0.9 to 13)
Meloxicam: RR 3.8 (95% CI 0.8 to 17)
Naproxen: RR 4.0 (95% CI 2.8 to 5.8)
Diclofenac: RR 4.6 (95% CI 3.6 to 5.8)
Flurbiprofen: RR 4.6 (95% CI 2.0 to 11)
Indomethacin: RR 5.2 (95% CI 3.2 to 8.3)
Piroxicam: RR 6.2 (95% CI 3.7 to 10)
Hippisley-Cox 2005103
Nested case-control
Cases: 9407
NR; ≥ 25

UK
Complicated GI EventNSAID use within 90 days vs. no prescription for 3 years
Celecoxib: OR 1.2 (95% CI 0.91 to 1.7)
Ibuprofen: OR 1.6 (95% CI 1.4 to 1.8)
Diclofenac: OR 2.1 (95% CI 1.8 to 2.4)
Naproxen: OR 2.0 (95% CI 1.5 to 2.6)
Aspirin: OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.6 to 1.9)
Lanas, 2006104
Case-control
Cases: 2777
NR

Spain
Hospitalization for upper G I bleedingCelecoxib use vs. nonuse of selective NSAID: RR 1.0 (95% CI 0.4 to 2.1)

NSAID use vs. nonuse of nonselective NSAID
Ibuprofen: RR 4.1 (95% CI 3.1 to 5.3)
Diclofenac: RR 3.1 (95% CI 2.3 to 4.2)
Aceclofenac: RR 2.6 (95% CI 1.5 to 4.6)
Naproxen: RR 7.3 (95%CI 4.7 to 11)
Piroxicam: RR 13 (95% CI 7.8 to −20)
Indomethacin: RR 9.0 (95% CI 3.9 to 21)
Meloxicam: RR 9.8 (95% CI 4.0 to 24)
Ketorolac: RR 14 (95% CI 5.2 to 50)
Lornoxicam: RR 7.7 (95% CI 2.4 to 24)
Ketoprofen: RR 8.6 (95% CI 2.5 to 29)
Laporte 2004105
Case-control
Cases=2,813
NR; ≥ 18

Spain and Italy
Upper GI bleedingNSAID use vs. nonuse of NSAIDs
Aspirin: OR 8.0 (95% CI 6.7 to 9.6)
Dexketoprofen: OR 4.9 (95% CI 1.7 to 14)
Diclofenac: OR 3.7 (95% CI 2.6 to 5.4)
Ibuprofen: OR 3.1 (95% CI 2.0 to 4.9)
Indomethacin: OR 10 (95% CI 4.4 to 23)
Ketoprofen: OR 10 (95% CI 3.9 to 26)
Ketorolac: OR 25 (95% CI 8.0 to 77)
Meloxicam: OR 5.7 (95% CI 2.2 to 15)
Naproxen: OR 10 (95% CI 5.7 to 18)
Nimesulide: OR 3.2 (95% CI 1.9 to 5.6)
Piroxicam: OR 16 (95% CI 10 to 24)
Mamdani 2002106
Cohort
n=143,969
75.7

Canada
Upper GI hemorrhageNSAID use vs. no use of NSAIDs
Celecoxib: HR 1.0 (95% CI 0.7 to 1.6)
Diclofenac + misoprostol: HR 3.0 (95% CI 1.7 to 5.5)
Nonselective NSAIDs: HR 4.0 (95% CI 2.3 to 6.9)

NSAID use vs. celecoxib
Diclofenac + misoprostol: HR 3.2 (95% CI 1.6 to 6.5)
Nonselective NSAIDs: HR 4.4 (95% CI 2.3 to 8.5)
Mellemkjaer, 2002107
Cohort
n=156,138 NSAID users
NR

Denmark
Hospitalization for GI bleedingNSAID use vs. no use of NSAIDs
Diclofenac: RR 4.9 (95% CI 3.5 to 6.6)
Ibuprofen: RR 2.4 (95% CI 2.0 to 2.9)
Indomethacin: RR 4.3 (95% CI 2.9 to 6.0)
Ketoprofen: RR 6.3 (95% CI 4.5 to 8.5)
Naproxen: RR 3.0 (95% CI 2.1 to 4.2)
Piroxicam: RR 5.0 (95% CI 3.3 to 7.2)
Rahme, 2007108
Retrospective cohort
N=510,871
NR; ≥65

Canada
Hospitalization for GI bleedingNSAID use vs. acetaminophen use
Celecoxib: HR 0.82 (95% CI 0.66 to 1.0)
Ibuprofen: HR 1.1 (95% CI 0.56 to 2.2)
Diclofenac: HR 1.2 (95% CI 0.86 to 1.6)
Naproxen: HR 2.8 (95% CI 2.0 to 3.7)

CI = confidence interval; GI = gastrointestinal; HR = hazard ratio; NR = not reported; NSAID = nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug; OR = odds ratio; RR = relative risk; UK GPRD = United Kingdom General Practice Research Database

From: Results

Cover of Analgesics for Osteoarthritis
Analgesics for Osteoarthritis: An Update of the 2006 Comparative Effectiveness Review [Internet].
Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, No. 38.
Chou R, McDonagh MS, Nakamoto E, et al.

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