[Changes in quality of life in patients with osteoarthritis treated with celecoxib: the Qualice study]

Evaluation of patients with osteoarthritis includes the assessment of pain, functional disability, and radiographically-detectable lesions. The physical and psychological consequences of this disease on patients' quality of life are not clearly understood. The aim of this study was to determine the changes in quality of life among osteoarthritis patients after celecoxib treatment.

The SF-36 Quality of Life questionnaire was used in this prospective multicenter study to evaluate changes in pain intensity and quality of life in 2339 patients with osteoarthritis treated by 1244 general practitioners with celecoxib (200 mg per day) for 4 weeks. Pain intensity was measured with a visual analogue scale. The suitability of the SF-36 for such an evaluation was also studied, as was tolerance of the medication.

After 4 weeks of celecoxib treatment, 8 of the 9 domains of the SF-36 questionnaire showed significant improvement, with an effect size > 0.40, especially for "limitations due to physical health" and "limitations due to pain". Pain intensity decreased from 66.5+/-12.2 mm at inclusion to 34.0+/-18.7 mm at the final visit. Both patients and physicians found the questionnaire suitable for assessing the quality of life of osteoarthritis patients. The side effects reported were consistent with the drug's known tolerance profile.

This study shows that the quality of life improved in patients with osteoarthritis after 4 weeks of celecoxib treatment, in the physical as well psychological and social domains. The SF-36 questionnaire proved to be a suitable instrument for measuring quality of life in these patients, and its use in the management of patients with osteoarthritis in general medicine should be encouraged.