Long-term Study of Indomethacin and Alclofenac in Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Indomethacin and alclofenac were compared for 13 months under double-blind conditions in 109 patients with active, classical, or definite rheumatoid arthritis at a relatively early stage of the disease. Both indomethacin and alclofenac were clearly effective: most patients either improved or remained as well controlled as on entry. Alclofenac proved the more effective drug, however, producing a significantly greater reduction in morning stiffness, articular index, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and only in the alclofenac-treated group did functional capacity improve and latex-agglutination titres diminish. Comprehensive laboratory tests showed no significant deviation from normal which could have been attributed to either drug. © 1975, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.