Table 2.

Patient's Assessment of Arthritis Pain (VAS in mm) at week 6 (efficacy‐evaluable population)

	Celecoxib 200 mg qd (n = 121)	Naproxen 500 mg bid (n = 107)	Placebo (n = 58)
Baseline, mean (SE)	65.1 (1.1)	65.4 (1.1)	63.7 (1.5)
Week 6, mean (SE)	21.7 (1.9)	21.9 (2.0)	25.6 (3.1)
Change from baseline, LSM (SE)	−37.1 (2.0)	−37.5 (2.0)	−33.6 (2.6)

	Naproxen – celecoxib†	Naproxen – placebo	Celecoxib – placebo
Difference in LSM (SE)	−0.4 (2.5)	−3.9 (3.0)	−3.5 (3.0)
95% CI	−5.2 to 4.5	−9.8 to 2.1	−9.3 to 2.3
P‐value	0.8791	0.2027	0.2403

†Celecoxib treatment was observed to be as effective as naproxen, based on the protocol requirements, since the lower‐bound of the two‐sided 95% CI of the treatment difference (naproxen–celecoxib) was above −10 mm (−5.2 mm). Change in VAS score from baseline to week 6 was analyzed using a generalized linear model with treatment and center effect in the model and baseline score as a covariate. bid, twice daily; qd, once daily; VAS, visual analogue scale; CI, confidence interval; LSM, least squares means; SE, standard error.