Celecoxib plus topical flurbiprofen patch versus celecoxib alone for symptomatic knee OA: a randomized controlled trial
Authors' conclusion
Adding topical flurbiprofen patch to oral celecoxib provided faster early improvement in pain and function and better short-term patient-reported outcomes in symptomatic KOA.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with chronic inflammatory symptomatic knee OA, tertiary academic hospital, January 2024 to March 202589 completed
- Participants
- 90 patients
- Comparison
- Oral celecoxib plus topical flurbiprofen patch vs oral celecoxib alone
- Primary endpoint
- Pain severity (VAS) and functional impairment (WOMAC)
- Follow-up
- Days 3, 7 and 14
Methodological detailsopen-label, 1:1 randomisation, single-centre (tertiary academic hospital)
- Open-label
- 1:1 randomisation
- Single-centre (tertiary academic hospital)
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
VAS pain reduction · day 3
Combination therapy
3.4
± 0.9
Celecoxib
2.0
± 0.8
P < 0.01
- Visual analogue scale (VAS) reduction day 7: 3.9 ± 1.0 vs 3.3 ± 1.0
- P = 0.02
- WOMAC improvement greater with combination therapy on days 3, 7 and 14
- all P < 0.01
Secondary outcomes
SF-36 health domain scores and patient global assessment (PGA) ratings · day 14
- Higher with combination therapy
Original publication
Celecoxib plus topical flurbiprofen patch versus celecoxib alone for symptomatic knee OA: a randomized controlled trial. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 9 September 2026. doi:10.
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