NSAID Gastropathy

In his review article, "NSAID [nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug] Gastropathy: A New Understanding," Roth1states that "newer NSAIDs may have an improved safety profile over older NSAIDs; some have a clinically documented reduction in the incidence of adverse gastrointestinal effects." The newer NSAIDs referred to in the article include nabumetone, oxaprozin, and etodolac. However, Roth presents data only for nabumetone, while generalizing that data to all 3 of these "newer" NSAIDs. The manufacturer of etodolac also blurs the issue of an improved safety profile over older NSAIDs. In a 1996 advertisement, the manufacturer trumpets, "The Latest Multicenter Study Confirms: Extra strength, 400 mg, LODINE B.I.D. [twice a day] provides efficacy comparable to naproxen 500 mg B.I.D... Plus the favorable tolerability you've come to expect from LODINE." While this wording would seem to suggest that the tolerability of etodolac compared favorably with that of naproxen, smaller print states that etodolac was