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Loxoprofen provides early symptom relief and fewer activity limitations, though symptoms tend to persist longer in the later stages.
A randomized controlled trial conducted across 23 outpatient facilities in Japan has evaluated whether the widely used NSAID loxoprofen affects recovery from upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs)—conditions commonly associated with viral cold symptoms, sore throat, cough, and nasal congestion.
Researchers recruited 174 adults (aged 18–65 years) who presented with naturally acquired URTIs. Volunteers were randomly segregatewd to receive either loxoprofen or a placebo. Illness duration and symptom severity during recovery were tracked. The primary outcome was the duration of illness in days, while secondary outcomes included symptom severity, limitations in daily activities, and adverse events.
Loxoprofen did not significantly alter the overall duration of URTI compared with placebo. Patients receiving loxoprofen experienced slightly fewer days of limited daily activities and fewer severe symptoms during the early phase of illness. Symptoms were reported more often between days 6 and 12 in the loxoprofen group, with a 5–13% higher frequency. Adverse events were noted more often in the loxoprofen group (Table 1).
These findings suggest that while loxoprofen may provide short-term symptom relief, it does not accelerate recovery from URTIs and may even slightly prolong symptoms later in the illness course. Given the higher rate of adverse events, clinicians may need to carefully weigh the benefits of symptomatic relief against potential risks when prescribing NSAIDs for viral respiratory infections.
Internal medicine
Influence of loxoprofen use on recovery from naturally acquired upper respiratory tract infections: a randomized controlled trial
Masashi Goto et al.
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