NSAIDS May Impair Host Defenses
The preference for the use of non-opioid analgesics for pain should now be obvious. However as the option of public COVID-19 vaccination is now widely available in many states, practitioners should be cautioned about the routine use of NSAIDS for pain relief where their treatment may overlap a patient’s vaccination window.(1)
NSAIDs inhibit cyclooxygenase (COX) which plays a critical role in the prostaglandin mediated inflammatory process. The COX enzyme system exists as isoforms COX1 and COX2 with COX2 being pro-inflammatory. COX2 is also responsible for optimal for antibody production from B-lymphocytes.
The implication is that both non-selective inhibitors (COX1/COX2) – like ibuprofen – and selective inhibitors (COX2) – like celecoxib – after infection or any vaccination may impair host defenses – and probably should be avoided in favor of acetaminophen.