Effect of Etoricoxib on fracture healing - An experimental study

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors are some of the most commonly prescribed medications worldwide. Nonselective cyclo-oxygenase (COX) inhibitors impair bone healing by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term effect of etoricoxib, a new selective COX-2 inhibitor, on bone healing in rabbits, when given in therapeutic doses. Left femur was osteotomized and fixed with K wire in 36 rabbits. One group was fed etoricoxib (3mg/kg body wt/day) orally, while other group served as control. Radiological, morphological, histological and biomechanical analysis of both groups was done at 4, 8 and 12 weeks. An analysis of various parameters of study showed that etoricoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, has significant inhibitory effect on bone healing at 4, 8 and 12 weeks of follow up. So it was concluded that etoricoxib significantly inhibited bone healing in rabbits especially at earlier phases of fracture healing.