NEWS: -2 drugs may suppress immune function

[Guest guest]

-2 drugs may suppress immune function

Study finds painkillers affect antibodies that attack germs

Updated: 5:55 p.m. ET April 7, 2005

WASHINGTON - Analgesics called -2 inhibitors, which U.S. health

officials restricted Thursday, can not only damage the heart and blood

vessels but may also suppress the immune system, researchers said.

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A study published this week in the Journal of Immunology shows the

drugs, used by arthritis sufferers, might affect the antibodies that

attack invading germs.

This could be both good news and bad news for the drugs, which have

also recently been shown to double or triple the risk of heart attacks

and strokes, the researchers at the University of Rochester in New York

said.

Pfizer Inc. suspended sales of its -2 inhibitor Bextra Thursday at

the request of U.S., European and Canadian regulators.

The Food and Drug Administration also asked Pfizer to include a strong

“black box” warning for its -2 drug Celebrex. Merck & Co.’s -2

Vioxx was withdrawn last year.

[Guest guest]

This would be good news for those of us with RA. Don't all of the

DMARDs suppress the immune system? Sue

On Friday, April 8, 2005, at 09:06 PM, a wrote:

>

> -2 drugs may suppress immune function

> Study finds painkillers affect antibodies that attack germs

> This could be both good news and bad news for the drugs

[Guest guest]

This would be good news for those of us with RA. Don't all of the

DMARDs suppress the immune system? Sue

On Friday, April 8, 2005, at 09:06 PM, a wrote:

>

> -2 drugs may suppress immune function

> Study finds painkillers affect antibodies that attack germs

> This could be both good news and bad news for the drugs

[Guest guest]

Sue,

The cox-2's aren't DMARDS. COX-2 inhibitors are newly developed drugs

for inflammation that selectively block the COX-2 enzyme. -2

inhibitors are a new class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

(NSAIDs) that impedes the production of the prostaglandins that cause

the pain and swelling.

a

On Apr 8, 2005, at 11:56 PM, Sue wrote:

> This would be good news for those of us with RA. Don't all of the

> DMARDs suppress the immune system?   Sue

>

> On Friday, April 8, 2005, at 09:06  PM, a wrote:

> >

> > -2 drugs may suppress immune function

> > Study finds painkillers affect antibodies that attack germs

>

[Guest guest]

Sue,

The cox-2's aren't DMARDS. COX-2 inhibitors are newly developed drugs

for inflammation that selectively block the COX-2 enzyme. -2

inhibitors are a new class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

(NSAIDs) that impedes the production of the prostaglandins that cause

the pain and swelling.

a

On Apr 8, 2005, at 11:56 PM, Sue wrote:

> This would be good news for those of us with RA. Don't all of the

> DMARDs suppress the immune system?   Sue

>

> On Friday, April 8, 2005, at 09:06  PM, a wrote:

> >

> > -2 drugs may suppress immune function

> > Study finds painkillers affect antibodies that attack germs

>

[Guest guest]

a, you and have educated me enough to know the difference

between NSAIDs and DMARDs, LOL. I'm sorry I wasn't clear. I meant that

it is a good thing if the -2's also suppress the immune system, as

the DMARDs do. Sue

On Saturday, April 9, 2005, at 09:08 AM, a wrote:

>

> The cox-2's aren't DMARDS. COX-2 inhibitors are newly developed drugs

> for inflammation that selectively block the COX-2 enzyme. -2

> inhibitors are a new class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

> (NSAIDs) that impedes the production of the prostaglandins that cause

> the pain and swelling.

[Guest guest]

a, you and have educated me enough to know the difference

between NSAIDs and DMARDs, LOL. I'm sorry I wasn't clear. I meant that

it is a good thing if the -2's also suppress the immune system, as

the DMARDs do. Sue

On Saturday, April 9, 2005, at 09:08 AM, a wrote:

>

> The cox-2's aren't DMARDS. COX-2 inhibitors are newly developed drugs

> for inflammation that selectively block the COX-2 enzyme. -2

> inhibitors are a new class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

> (NSAIDs) that impedes the production of the prostaglandins that cause

> the pain and swelling.

[Guest guest]

Got to love email Sue LOL! It's so easy to misunderstand.

a

On Apr 9, 2005, at 1:13 PM, Sue wrote:

> a, you and have educated me enough to know the difference

> between NSAIDs and DMARDs, LOL. I'm sorry I wasn't clear. I meant that

> it is a good thing if the -2's also suppress the immune system, as

> the DMARDs do.   Sue

>