Publications in Osteoarthritis & Cartilage

“Cost-effectiveness of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis in older patients with multiple comorbidities” was recently accepted at Osteoarthritis & Cartilage. In this manuscript, we used the OAPol Model to evaluate the long-term clinical and economic implications of using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or opioids in the treatment of knee OA patients who have multiple comorbid conditions, thereby increasing their risks for adverse events on both classes of analgesics. We found that, in this patient population, opioids lead to higher costs and reduced quality of life when compared to NSAIDs. In patients presenting with multiple comorbidities, naproxen- and ibuprofen-containing treatments are more effective in managing OA pain.