Conditions: Ankylosing Spondylitis
Keywords: ankylosing spondylitis biologic therapies ASAS ASASBIO etoricoxib NSAIDs COX-2 Inhibitor ARCOXIA 90 mg BASDAI Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index
Allocation: NA | Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Enrollment: 58
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The goal of this research is to assess the percentage of non-responders to ≥ 2 NSAIDs candidates a biological therapy that could adequately respond to treatment with etoricoxib This study confirm the result of a previous study in a wider similar population. Basing on previous results, the response rate will be assessed by ASASBIO criteria. The efficacy of the treatment with etoricoxib 90 mg will be assessed at week 4 in a population of patients with AS who didn't respond adequately to a previous therapy with ≥ 2 NSAIDs.

Those patients that, based on the ASABIO criteria, achieved a sufficient clinical response will be followed until week 24 to asses the maintenance of the study drug effects.

Detailed description:
Etoricoxib is an oral, selective cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitor approved for the symptomatic treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in Spain.

Etoricoxib is a marketed product indicated for the relief of symptomatic osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, pain and signs of inflammation associated with acute gouty arthritis. In ankylosing spondylitis,the recommended dose is 90 mg once daily.

Clinical pharmacology studies demonstrate that Etoricoxib induce dose-dependent inhibition of COX-2 without inhibit COX-1, up to 150 mg daily dose.

Etoricoxib did not inhibit the gastric synthesis of prostaglandin and had no effect on platelet function. Cyclooxygenase is responsible for the prostaglandin synthesis. Were identified two different isoforms of cyclooxygenase, COX-1 and COX-2. It has been shown that COX-2 is the major enzyme responsible for the synthesis of prostanoid mediators involved in pain, inflammation and fever.

Arms:
arm 1: All the patients who fulfil the eligibility criteria will start a 4-week open label treatment period to evaluate the response to treatment with etoricoxib 90 mg.

Interventions: intervention 1: Etoricoxib
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Etoricoxib 90 mg/day/PO during 4 weeks Positive response to the therapy (in investigator opinion): Ongoing treatment with 90 mg/day/PO until 24 weeks.

Protocol document: