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Ischaemic colitis in a patient taking meloxicam.
Lancet (London, England)
|March 15, 2001
Summary
Meloxicam, a COX-2 inhibitor, may cause intestinal toxicity. A patient experienced ischemic colitis after 10 days of meloxicam, which resolved upon drug withdrawal, suggesting potential gastrointestinal risks.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- The safety of cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2) preferential inhibitors, like meloxicam, is under scrutiny.
- Osteoarthritis treatment often involves NSAIDs, necessitating an understanding of their gastrointestinal side effects.
Observation:
- A patient developed bloody diarrhea after a 10-day course of 15 mg daily meloxicam for osteoarthritis.
- Endoscopic and histological findings were indicative of ischemic colitis.
Findings:
- Meloxicam withdrawal led to rapid regression of symptoms and endoscopic lesions within one week.
- No alternative causes for the colonic ischemia were identified.
Implications:
- High doses of meloxicam may exert intestinal toxic effects due to decreased COX-2 selectivity.
- This case highlights the potential for meloxicam-induced ischemic colitis, particularly at higher doses.
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