A Pooled Analysis Evaluating Renal Safety in Placebo- and Active Comparator-Controlled Phase III Trials of...

OBJECTIVE : While injectable nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a key component of postoperative multimodal analgesia, renal safety concerns may limit use in some patients. This study examined the renal safety of injectable HPβCD-diclofenac when given for ≤ 5 days following orthopedic or abdominal/pelvic surgery. METHODS : Pooled analysis of data from two randomized, placebo- and active comparator-controlled phase III trials in 608 total patients was conducted. Renal safety was assessed by examining treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) and postoperative blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine shifts. RESULTS : There were three renal AEs each in the HPβCD-diclofenac (n = 318 patients) and placebo (n = 148 patients) groups, and two renal AEs in the ketorolac group (n = 142 patients). No significant difference in renal AE risk was detected for patients receiving HPβCD-diclofenac (RR: 1.40 [0.15,13.3]; P = 0.75) or ketorolac (RR: 2.08 [0.19,22.7]; P = 0.56) versus placebo. All renal AEs were mild or moderate in severity, and a single renal AE (acute renal failure in a patient receiving HPβCD-diclofenac) was treatment-related. One incidence of postoperative shift to high (> upper limit of normal) serum creatinine occurred in the HPβCD-diclofenac group (n = 2 in the ketorolac group). Mean changes in serum creatinine or BUN did not differ significantly between patients receiving HPβCD-diclofenac and placebo. CONCLUSIONS : While this analysis examined relatively brief exposure typical for parenterally administered analgesics in the postoperative setting in patients with largely normal renal function, the results suggest that HPβCD-diclofenac use for acute postoperative pain may not be associated with added renal safety risks over placebo in this patient population.