Flurbiprofen : A non-selective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor for treatment of non-infectious, non-necrotising anterior scleritis

Abstract

Objective

To analyse the safety and efficacy of a non-selective cyclo-oxygenase (COX) inhibitor in the management of non-infectious, non-necrotising anterior scleritis.

Methods

Retrospective chart review of 126 patients with non-necrotising anterior scleritis treated with oral flurbiprofen (Froben®(Abbott Healthcare)) with ( group B, n=61) or without topical steroids (group A, n=65) was performed and time to remission was plotted.

Results

The observed incidence rate was 1.07 (95% CI: 0.57–1.99) per 1000 person-years with failure rate of 0.68 (95% CI: 0.22–2.12) per 1000 person-years in group A and 1.41 (95% CI: 0.67–2.96) per 1000 person-years in group B. The failure rate was 3.97(1.89–9.34) per 1000 person-years with hazard ratio of 10.01 ( 95% CI: 2.52–39.65; p<0.001) for patients with associated systemic disease.

Conclusion

To our best knowledge, this is the first and largest case series on the safety and efficacy of a non-selective COX inhibitor in the management of anterior scleritis.