Robenacoxib shows efficacy for the treatment of chronic degenerative joint disease-associated pain in cats: a randomized and blinded pilot clinical trial

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 7721
• Main Authors: Adrian, Derek, King, Jonathan N., Parrish, Rudolph S., King, Stephen B., C. Budsberg, Steven, Gruen, Margaret E., Lascelles, B. Duncan X.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 08.04.2021; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/378; 631/378/2620; 631/378/2620/410; 631/443; 631/443/63; Animals; Anti-inflammatory agents; Cat Diseases - drug therapy; Cats; Clinical trials; Diphenylamine - analogs & derivatives; Diphenylamine - therapeutic use; Female; Humanities and Social Sciences; Inflammation; Joint diseases; Joint Diseases - complications; Joint Diseases - veterinary; Male; multidisciplinary; Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; Osteoarthritis; Osteoarthritis - complications; Osteoarthritis - veterinary; Pain; Pain - complications; Pain - veterinary; Pain Management - veterinary; Phenylacetates - therapeutic use; Pilot Projects; Placebos; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87023-2

The main objective of this pilot clinical trial was to evaluate outcome measures for the assessment of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) robenacoxib in cats with degenerative joint disease-associated pain (DJD-pain). Otherwise healthy cats (n = 109) with DJD-pain entered a parallel group, randomized, blinded clinical trial. Cats received placebo (P) or robenacoxib (R) for two consecutive 3-week periods. Treatment groups were PP, RR, and RP. Actimetry and owner-assessment data were collected. Data were analyzed using mixed-effects and generalized mixed-effects linear models. Activity data showed high within-cat and between-cat variability, and 82.4% of the values were zero. Compared to placebo, mean total activity was higher (5.7%) in robenacoxib-treated cats (p = 0.24); for the 80th percentile of activity, more robenacoxib-treated cats had a > 10% increase in activity after 3 (p = 0.046) and 6 weeks (p = 0.026). Robenacoxib treatment significantly decreased owner-assessed disability, (p = 0.01; 49% reduction in disability; effect size ~ 0.3), and improved temperament (p = 0.0039) and happiness (p = 0.021) after 6 weeks. More robenacoxib-treated cats were successes at 6 weeks (p = 0.018; NNT: 3.8). Adverse effect frequencies were similar across groups. Results identified suitable endpoints for confirmatory studies, while also indicating efficacy of robenacoxib in cats with DJD-pain.