Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use does not appear to be associated with increased cardiovascular mortality in patients with inflammatory polyarthritis: results from a primary care based inception cohort of patients.
OBJECTIVE
There is controversy about the effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. The aim of this study was to explore associations between NSAID use and mortality in patients with inflammatory polyarthritis (IP).


METHODS
A total of 923 patients with new onset (IP), recruited to the UK Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR) between 1990-1994, were followed up to the end of 2004. Current medication was recorded annually for the first 6 years and then every 2-3 years. Rheumatoid factor (RF) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. Logistic regression was used to calculate all cause and CVD mortality odds ratios (OR) for NSAID use at baseline and during follow-up, adjusting for gender and time-varying covariates: RF, CRP, joint counts, smoking, steroid use, DMARD use and other medication use.


RESULTS
By 2004 there were 203 deaths, 85 due to CVD. At baseline, NSAIDs were used by 66% of patients. In final multivariate models, baseline NSAID use was inversely associated with all cause mortality (adjusted OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.84) and CVD mortality (adjusted OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.86). Interval NSAID use had weaker mortality associations: all cause mortality (adjusted OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.52 to 1.00), CVD mortality (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.66, 95% CI 0.40 to 1.08).


CONCLUSIONS
No excess CVD or all cause mortality was observed in NSAID users in this cohort of patients with IP. This is at variance with the literature relating to NSAID use in the general population. It is unclear whether this represents unmeasured confounders influencing a doctor's decision to avoid NSAIDs in the treatment of IP.
Goodson
N J
NJ
Academic Rheumatology Unit, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool University, Lower Lane, Liverpool, L9 7AL, UK. ngoodson@liverpool.ac.uk
Brookhart
A M
AM
Symmons
D P M
DP
Silman
A J
AJ
Solomon
D H
DH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001168:Arthritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor