THE EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY OF AN 8-DAY ADMINISTRATION OF INTRAVENOUS AND ORAL MELOXICAM - A COMPARISON WITH INTRAMUSCULAR AND ORAL DICLOFENAC IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE LUMBAGO
K. Colberg et al., THE EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY OF AN 8-DAY ADMINISTRATION OF INTRAVENOUS AND ORAL MELOXICAM - A COMPARISON WITH INTRAMUSCULAR AND ORAL DICLOFENAC IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE LUMBAGO, Current medical research and opinion, 13(7), 1996, pp. 363-377
Citations number
47
Categorie Soggetti
Medicine, General & Internal","Medicine, Research & Experimental
In this controlled, randomized, parallel and open multicentre study, t
he efficacy and tolerability of a regimen comprising intravenous (i.v.
) meloxicam followed by oral therapy was compared with a standard regi
men of intramuscular (i.m.) diclofenac followed by oral dosing in pati
ents with acute lumbago. Of a total of 183 patients, 92 were randomize
d to receive meloxicam 15 mg i.v. on day I followed by 7 days oral tre
atment with one 15 mg tablet daily, and 91 patients received diclofena
c 75 mg i.m. on day I followed by 7 days treatment with one 100 mg slo
w release tablet daily. Pain on movement and limitation of activities
were assessed by patients and physicians using questionnaires. Meloxic
am i.v. demonstrated a significantly faster median time of onset of an
algesic action (30 minutes), compared with diclofenac i.m. (60 minutes
).;She reduction in pain during movement 30 minutes after injection wa
s also significantly in favour of meloxicam. Assessments of global eff
icacy indicated that meloxicam was significantly better than diclofena
c as rated by investigators (p = 0.02) and patients (p = 0.01). Moreov
er, the rating of investigators and patients for local and global tole
rance was significantly in favour of meloxicam (p < 0.05) and improvem
ents in the quality of life were almost significant (p = 0.053). Fewer
adverse events, particularly of a gastrointestinal (GI) nature, occur
red in the meloxicam group compared with the diclofenac group. This st
udy therefore demonstrates that meloxicam 15 mg i.v. followed by oral
therapy is both efficacious and well tolerated in the treatment of acu
te lumbago, and compares favourably with the standard NSAID, diclofena
c, in this indication.