Connect
MJA
MJA

Paracetamol should be first-line therapy in osteoarthritis

Richard O Day and Garry G Graham
Med J Aust 2005; 182 (4): . || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2005.tb06657.x
Published online: 21 February 2005

Richard O Day,* Garry G Graham


  • 1 University of New South Wales and St Vincent’s Hospital, Victoria Road, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010
  • 2 University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW


Correspondence: 

Competing interests:

Professor Day is a member of advisory committees on COX-2 inhibitors for Merck Sharp & Dohme (Aust) Pty Ltd (which markets rofecoxib and etoricoxib), and previously for Pfizer Pty Ltd (which markets celecoxib). He is a member of a general advisory committee of GlaxoSmithKline (which markets paracetamol). GlaxoSmithKline have supported research projects of Professor Graham on paracetamol.

  • 1. Langton PE, Hankey GJ, Eikelboom JW. Cardiovascular safety of rofecoxib (Vioxx): lessons learned and unanswered questions [editorial]. Med J Aust 2004; 181: 524-525. Previously published online, 26 October 2004. <MJA full text>
  • 2. American College of Rheumatology Subcommittee on Osteoarthritis. Recommendations for the medical management of osteoarthritis of the hip and knee: 2000 update. Arthritis Rheum 2000; 43: 1905-1915.
  • 3. Jordan KM, Arden NK, Doherty M, et al. EULAR recommendations 2003: an evidence based approach to the management of knee osteoarthritis: Report of a Task Force of the Standing Committee for International Clinical Studies Including Therapeutic Trials (ESCISIT). Ann Rheum Dis 2003; 62: 1145-1155.
  • 4. Musculoskeletal pain. In: Therapeutic guidelines. Analgesic. Version 4, 2002; 133.
  • 5. Williams HJ, Ward JR, Egger MJ, et al. Comparison of naproxen and acetaminophen in a two-year study of treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. Arthritis Rheum 1993; 36: 1196-1206.
  • 6. Case JP, Baliunas AJ, Block JA. Lack of efficacy of acetaminophen in treating symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled comparison trial with diclofenac sodium. Arch Intern Med 2003; 163: 169-178.
  • 7. Geba GP, Weaver AL, Polis AB, et al. Efficacy of rofecoxib, celecoxib, and acetaminophen in osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized trial. JAMA 2002; 287: 64-71.
  • 8. Pincus T, Swearingen C, Cummins P, Callahan LF. Preference for nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs versus acetaminophen and concomitant use of both types of drugs in patients with osteoarthritis. J Rheumatol 2000; 27: 1020-1027.
  • 9. Zhang W, Jones A, Doherty M. Does paracetamol (acetaminophen) reduce the pain of osteoarthritis? A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Ann Rheum Dis 2004; 63: 901-907.
  • 10. Day RO, Graham GG. The vascular effects of COX-2 selective inhibitors. Aust Prescr 2004; 27. 142-145.

Author

remove_circle_outline Delete Author
add_circle_outline Add Author

Comment
Do you have any competing interests to declare? *

I/we agree to assign copyright to the Medical Journal of Australia and agree to the Conditions of publication *
I/we agree to the Terms of use of the Medical Journal of Australia *
Email me when people comment on this article

Online responses are no longer available. Please refer to our instructions for authors page for more information.