Evidence mapPaperPMID 41723349Full record

SynthesisBMC infectious diseases2026

Comparison of the efficacy and safety of selective COX-2 inhibitors and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of COVID-19 patients: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Di Wu, Yiting Li, Peixv Chen, Ke Zhu, Chao Cao

Abstract readSystematic ReviewNetwork Meta-AnalysisComparative Study
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC infectious diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Di WuKey Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Ningbo, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Yiting LiKey Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Ningbo, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Peixv ChenKey Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Ningbo, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Ke ZhuKey Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Ningbo, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Chao CaoKey Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Ningbo, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China. caocdoctor@163.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe global epidemic of novel coronaviruses remains severe, and COX-2 selective inhibitors have attracted attention due to their promising clinical potential.

methodsPertinent articles published up to 1 April 2025 were systematically searched and retrieved, including randomized controlled trials and cohort studies. To assess the efficacy of COX-2 selective inhibitors versus other NSAIDs, we analysed five aspects, including death, mechanical ventilation, ICU admission, oxygen uptake, and composite adverse effects.

resultsThe results showed that COX-2 selective inhibitors significantly reduced the risk of death, with third-highest SUCRA ranking. Regarding the risk of mechanical ventilation, COX-2 inhibitors were associated with a reduced risk and ranked first according to SUCRA compared with other interventions. COX-2 inhibitors were also effective in reducing the risk of ICU admission and endotracheal intubation, again ranking first by SUCRA. In addition, COX-2 inhibitors demonstrated therapeutic potential in reducing the risk of composite adverse effects compared with other NSAIDs.

conclusionAlthough this study shows that COX-2 inhibitors have good promise for the treatment of COVID-19, there is still a lack of high-quality RCTs to support the conclusions, and there is still room for improvement.

trial registration(PROSPERO. CRD CRD42023445987) THE CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

Indexed as

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-SteroidalCOVID-19 Drug TreatmentCyclooxygenase 2 InhibitorsCOVID-19HumansRespiration, ArtificialSARS-CoV-2Treatment OutcomeAnti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-SteroidalCyclooxygenase 2 InhibitorsCOVID-19COX-2EfficacySafety

Identifiers

PMID41723349
PMCPMC13032441

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.