Cyclofenil for Raynaud's phenomenon in progressive systemic sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effects and toxicity of Cyclofenil versus placebo for the treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) in scleroderma.


METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and Medline up to 1996 using the Cochrane Collaboration search strategy developed by Dickersin et al.(1994). Key words included: Raynaud's or Vasospasm, Scleroderma or Progressive Systematic Sclerosis or Connective Tissue Disease or Autoimmune Disease. Current Contents were searched up to and including April 7, 1997. All bibliographies of articles retrieved were searched and key experts in the area were contacted for additional and unpublished data. The initial search strategy included all languages.


METHODS
All randomized trials comparing cyclofenil versus placebo were eligible if they reported any clinical outcomes within the trial.


METHODS
Data were abstracted independently by two reviewers (DF, AT). Peto's odds ratio (OR) was calculated for all dichotomous outcomes, and a weighted mean difference was calculated for all continuous outcomes. A fixed effects or random effects model was used if the data were homogeneous or heterogeneous respectively.


RESULTS
One trial with 38 patients was included. There was a trend for Cyclofenil to demonstrate more improvement and more dropouts compared to placebo, but there were no statistically significant differences.


CONCLUSIONS
Cyclofenil is not effective in the treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon secondary to scleroderma.
Pope
J
J
Medicine (Division of Rheumatology), University of Western Ontario, LHSC-South Campus, 375 South Street Room 309;Colborne Bldg., London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 4G5. jpope@julian.uwo.ca
Fenlon
D
D
Thompson
A
A
Shea
B
B
Furst
D
D
Wells
G
G
Silman
A
A
D003506:Cyclofenil / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications*
D003506:Cyclofenil