Meclofenamate sodium, phenylbutazone, and naproxen in the treatment of degenerative joint disease. Report of a placebo-controlled double-blind clinical comparison.
40 patients with definite radiographically verified degenerative joint disease of the hip and/or the knee were treated in this double-blind study. Ten patients received 300 mg N-(2,6-dichloro-m-tolyl)anthranilic acid, sodium salt (meclofenamate sodium, Meclomen) per day for six weeks, ten patients received 500 mg phenylbutazone per day in the first week and 300 mg per day for 5 weeks. Ten patients received 500 mg naproxen per day for 6 weeks and ten patients received placebo. Measurements to assess efficacy were: intensity of pain on passive motion, intensity of starting pain, extent of painfree abduction (if the hip was involved), maximum extension and flexion (if the knee was involved) and an overall rating of the patient's condition by both the physician and the patient. Analysis of the results demonstrated that meclofenamate sodium was significantly superior to placebo in relieving pain and improving articular function as well as in improving the overall condition in patients with degenerative joint disease of the knee and/or the hip. Phenylbutazone and naproxen showed comparable statistically significant efficacy. Although the differences between the three active drug groups at the end of treatment were statistically not significant, it was, however, of interest that they favored meclofenamate sodium in each measurement, so that the 3 active agents may be ranked as follows: 1. meclofenamate sodium; 2. phenylbutazone; 3. naproxen. Meclofenamate sodium was well tolerated as were the other active drugs. Six of the 10 patients in the phenylbutazone group exhibited a marked decrease of the WBC count at the end of treatment.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008469:Meclofenamic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009288:Naproxen / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010653:Phenylbutazone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010919:Placebos; D062367:ortho-Aminobenzoates / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D010919:Placebos; D062367:ortho-Aminobenzoates; D008469:Meclofenamic Acid; D009288:Naproxen; D010653:Phenylbutazone