Impact of parecoxib on hospital discharge: retrospective analysis of Brazilian health insurance

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Adequate postoperative pain and renal colic control is critical for patients' recovery and to decrease hospitalization costs and the use of resources. So, this study aimed at evaluating hospitalization time of patients treated with parecoxib sodium versus other non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs to manage postoperative pain of appendectomy or fractures and renal colic. METHODS: This is a retrospective data analysis of Brazilian private hospitals medical bills, including patients treated with non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs to decrease post-appendectomy pain (n=1618), post orthopedic fracture pain (n=2858 and renal colic (n=6555), between January and June 2014. Mean hospitalization time was evaluated according to each group of drugs. Mean difference among groups was calculated by the Kruskal-Wallis method. RESULTS: Mean hospitalization time for patients submitted to appendectomy was 1.95 days with parecoxib versus 2.20 with other non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (p= 0.006). For patients submitted to orthopedic fracture surgery, mean time was 1.75 days with parecoxib versus 1.93 days with other anti-inflammatory drugs (p=0.008). Parecoxib has also significantly decreased hospitalization time for renal colic as compared to other drugs (25.2h versus 32.9h; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Parecoxib sodium has provided shorter hospitalization time with possible decrease in use of resources and costs and should be considered a choice for such painful conditions.