A six-month parallel group comparison of fenbufen and naproxen in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
Thirty patients with definite or classical rheumatoid arthritis were enrolled in a six-month, prospective, double-blind study. Fifteen patients received 750 mg/day of naproxen and 15 patients received 900 mg/day of fenbufen. The fenbufen-treated group showed significant improvement in four parameters: pain at rest, pain on movement, duration of pain, and number of swollen joints. Naproxen produced significant improvement in three parameters: pain at rest, duration of morning stiffness, and number of swollen joints. There were no significant differences between treatments in any of the parameters at any assessment except for duration of morning stiffness at one observation point. Marked differences were noted in the number of patients with side effects and in the number of side effects reported. In the naproxen-treated group, 11 patients reported a total of 20 adverse reactions, while in the fenbufen-treated group, five patients reported a total of eight adverse reactions. Throughout the period of assessment, no consistent changes in laboratory values were observed. One patient in the naproxen-treated group showed an abnormal WBC at the third and fourth assessment, but this was not considered drug related. These results suggest that fenbufen is at least as effective as and better tolerated than naproxen in the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009288:Naproxen / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010654:Phenylbutyrates; D011422:Propionates / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D010654:Phenylbutyrates; D011422:Propionates; D009288:Naproxen; C010725:fenbufen