Gastrointestinal health care resource utilization with chronic use of COX-2-specific inhibitors versus traditional NSAIDs.

Background & Aims: Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2)-specific inhibitors (coxibs) decrease gastrointestinal (GI) events in controlled trials, but results in clinical practice are unknown. We assessed GI-related resource use and costs in patients switching from chronic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy to chronic coxib therapy and in patients starting chronic NSAID therapy vs. chronic coxib therapy in a U.S. administrative claims database of >8 million lives.

Methods: "Switchers" (n = 2246) were assessed in the 12-month periods before and after switching from chronic NSAID therapy to coxib therapy. "New NSAID" (n = 25,989) and "new coxib" (n = 2125) groups were assessed for the 12-month periods before and after the initial prescription. Proportions of patients with GI resource use (odds ratio [OR] adjusted for relevant covariates) and costs were compared.

Results: The adjusted OR for any GI resource use (coxib vs. NSAID period) among switchers was 0.86 (0.74-0.99). The decrease was due to less GI cotherapy (OR = 0.82 [0.69-0.97]). Costs were not significantly lower after switching to coxibs (mean difference, -$19; 95% CI: -$139, $55), although after adding NSAID/coxib costs, the total cost in the coxib period was significantly higher (mean increase, $377; $271, $488). Adjusted OR for GI resource use for new-coxib vs. new-NSAID was 1.04 (0.92-1.16), but GI costs were significantly lower in new-NSAID patients.

Conclusions: Patients switching from chronic NSAID therapy to chronic coxib therapy had a slight decrease in the proportion using GI-related resources but not in GI costs. When NSAID/coxib drug costs were included, costs were significantly less with NSAIDs than with coxibs. The potential GI-related cost savings suggested in coxib clinical trials may not be fully realized in "real-world" settings.