Abstract

Background: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are frequently used to relieve pain, fever or inflammation; and information on secondary infectious risk is unclear. The aim of our study is to describe the cases of worsening infections under NSAIDs to question the risk.
Methods: To investigate this potential risk, we performed a prospective, observational and single-center study.
Results: In total, 28 cases of worsening infection after exposure to NSAIDs were included in the study. The most frequently involved NSAID was ibuprofen (64%) and the NSAIDs were primarily used as painkiller (47%) and against fever (35%). The most frequent sites of infection were cutaneous (32%) and pulmonary (22%). We noted that the infection was resolved for 86% of our patients. The most serious cases required admission to the intensive care unit (14%) and one patient died.
Conclusions: The wide diversity of cases observed in our small group of patients suggests that all types of infection may be concerned. Other analgesic or antipyretic drugs should be preferred over NSAIDs when there is suspected infection. Information has to be more transparent regarding to the potential risk of serious worsening of infection after exposure to NSAIDs.