VIOXX AS AN EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE FOR TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS

Pediatric Rheumatology Online Journal → June 2003 → Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs→ Abstract #43

VIOXX AS AN EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE FOR TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS (JIA) WITH SIDE EFFECTS UNDER OTHER NONSTEROIDAL DRUGS. RESULTS OF A THERAPEUTIC OBSERVATION

I. Foeldvari, A. Wierk

^{1^{Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic, At AK-Eilbek, Hamburg, Germany}}

In the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis the new selective COX-2 inhibitors showed significantly less gastrointestinal side effects than the classical nonsteroidal drugs (NSAID) and the same effectiveness as classical NSAID. In the pediatric patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) gastrointestinal side effects occur between 10-50%. In our therapeutic observation patients with JIA were switched to Vioxx from classical NSAID or from Meloxicam if they showed unwanted side effects or if the patients / parents preferred the once daily administration of Vioxx. The dose of Vioxx was based on the suggested dose in the phase I/II study.
From 1st of February 2000 till end of August 2002 49 patients with JIA were started on Vioxx, 32 of them were female, the mean age of the patients was 12.2 years ( 2.5-18.7 years). 36 of the patients had previously unwanted side effects on an other NSAID, 26 on Naproxen and 10 on Meloxicam, 25 of them had gastrointestinal side effects. 13 patients / parents preferred the once daily application of Vioxx. The mean dose of Vioxx was 0.35 mg/kg (range 0.3-0.6 mg/kg), the mean duration of therapy was 8.2 months (range 1- 31 months). Only 3 of the 49 patients showed side effects under Vioxx, none of them showed gastrointestinal side effects, and none of the side effects were serious.
Vioxx was well tolerated in this preselected population, especially there was no sign of gastrointestinal side effects.