Comparison of Lornoxicam and Rofecoxib in Patients with Activated Osteoarthritis (COLOR Study)

Background and objective: Impaired mobility and pain mean a loss of quality of life for patients with rheumatic diseases. Therefore the initial aim of therapy is rapid and efficient analgesia in order to achieve the best possible result for these patients. Lornoxicam is a strong analgesic and anti-inflammatory NSAID with balanced cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-1/COX-2 inhibition and excellent tolerability. In the course of the development of selective COX-2 inhibitors, it was maintained that COX-2 inhibitors decrease the risk of injury to the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract with a similar efficacy to that of classic NSAIDs. However, a clinical trial comparing both substances has never been performed. In the present study we investigated the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis with lornoxicam in comparison with treatment with the selective COX-2 inhibitor rofecoxib. This multicentre clinical investigation focused on efficacy and tolerability.