PROGLUMETACIN VERSUS INDOMETHACIN IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS - A DOUBLE-BLIND MULTICENTER STUDY

A 4-week, double-blind multicenter study compared proglumetacin (450 mg/d), a prodrug of indometacin, and indometacin (150 mg/d) in 36 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Efficacy was evaluated in 33 patients and tolerability in all 36. Both drugs showed statistically equivalent effects in all measurements of efficacy except nighttime pain, which proglumetacin significantly decreased. Adverse effects occurred in 14 patients (4 in the proglumetacin group, 10 in the indometacin group); 5 patients dropped out of the study because of lack of efficacy (4 proglumetacin, 1 indometacin). Both drugs showed similar efficacy, and proglumetacin, better tolerability, in the management of the symptoms of RA.