Adjusted indirect comparison of celecoxib versus rofecoxib on cardiovascular risk

To compare the magnitude of celecoxib versus rofecoxib on the cardiovascular risk. We performed adjusted indirect comparison of celecoxib versus rofecoxib for cardiovascular events using two data on The Adenomatous Polyp Prevention on Vioxx (APPROVe) trial and Adenoma Prevention with Celecoxib (APC) trial. Baseline characteristics of the patients and placebos were comparable in both trials, in terms of age, sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and hypercholesterolemia. The overall incidence of cardiovascular events was similar in both groups (rofecoxib 48/1,287 versus celecoxib 48/1,356, p = 0.79). The relative risks (RRs) of all myocardial infarction or sudden death from cardiac causes were increased in both rofecoxib and celecoxib groups [rofecoxib versus placebo; RR 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07–1.69, p = 0.03, celecoxib versus placebo; RR 1.35, 95% CI 1.14–1.51, p = 0.01]. The RRs for cardiovascular events derived from the adjusted indirect comparisons of the two coxibs did not significantly differ from unity (celecoxib versus rofecoxib; RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.76–1.19, p = 0.67). The adjusted indirect comparison analysis shows that celecoxib and rofecoxib may have similarly effect of cardiovascular events when used for 3 years.