Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Effects on Fracture Healing

Abstract

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) play an important role in controlling pain in the post-traumatic and postoperative periods. Several studies in the last decade have also suggested that NSAIDs inhibit bone healing, although others contradict these findings. Although their analgesic potential has been proved, clinicians are still confused about potential safety issues. We systematically reviewed the available literature on this subject, largely in the form of in vivo animal studies and clinical trials. Our comprehensive review reveals very considerable diversity in the data presented across all working groups. Animal and in vitro studies have reported such inconsistent data that even studies employing the same parameters have yielded conflicting results. Scientific studies have fully described the mechanism by which NSAIDs can affect bone cells. In the absence of robust clinical or scientific evidence, clinicians should consider NSAIDs as a risk factor for bone healing, and these should be avoided in high-risk patients. © 2021 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.