Homedes J, Ocak M, Riedle S, Salichs M. A blinded, randomized and controlled multicenter field study investigating the safety and efficacy of long-term use of enflicoxib in the treatment of naturally occurring osteoarthritis in client-owned dogs.
Front Vet Sci 2024;
11:1349901. [PMID:
38585299 PMCID:
PMC10995975 DOI:
10.3389/fvets.2024.1349901]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background
Enflicoxib is a COX-2 selective NSAID shown to be efficacious and safe in the treatment of pain and inflammation associated with canine osteoarthritis (OA) in clinical studies of 6 weeks duration.
Objective
This prospective, multisite, blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group field study aimed to confirm the safety and efficacy of enflicoxib in long-term canine OA treatments.
Animals
A total of 109 client owned dogs with clinical and radiographic signs of OA for at least 3 weeks were enrolled with 78 dogs completing all study visits.
Methods
Dogs were randomized at a 3:1 ratio to receive enflicoxib (n = 83) or placebo (n = 26) once weekly during 6 months. Dogs underwent veterinary assessments from Day 0 to Day 189 using a clinical sum score (CSS). Efficacy was also assessed by the owners using the Canine Brief Pain Inventory (CBPI). Safety was assessed clinically and by repeated blood and urine sample analysis. The efficacy outcome measure was the treatment response according to the CSS and secondarily the treatment response according to the CBPI. The primary safety outcome was the incidence of adverse events (AEs) and secondarily the evolution of the clinical pathology parameters.
Results
Percentages of CSS responders for enflicoxib were 71.6; 74.6 and 71.6% on Days 44, 135 and 189 respectively, always showing statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) vs. placebo (41.7, 33.3, and 20.8% respectively). Treatment response according to owner assessments followed the same pattern, achieving significant differences compared to placebo after 2 weeks of treatment. The incidence and type of AEs were as described in previous enflicoxib studies of shorter duration and as for other NSAIDs, with no tendency to increase over time. No relevant changes in hematology, biochemistry or urine parameters were observed.
Conclusions and clinical relevance
Enflicoxib safety and efficacy profile is maintained after a long-term treatment, which together with its weekly administration, makes it a good alternative for the chronic treatment of dogs with naturally occurring OA.
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