Consequences of NSAID allergy on pain control options for patients with AERD

This study demonstrates that celecoxib offers effective pain management for patients with AERD, and that non-selective NSAIDs (like ibuprofen and Naprosyn) are effective and safe for most AERD patients to take after aspirin desensitization. We found that there is a high rate of narcotic overprescribing for patients with AERD, suggesting that reported NSAID allergies predispose our patients to the use of stronger and potentially less safe pain medications. Interestingly, despite multiple studies pointing to celecoxib as an appropriate option for many patients with AERD, narcotics were more often prescribed for pain in place of a non-selective NSAID than was celecoxib. Additional education of our pain-management colleagues regarding the safety and efficacy of celecoxib in patients with AERD may help avoid unnecessary opioid over prescribing. Read more here.