COMPARATIVE EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY OF 2 DICLOFENAC FORMULATIONS INTHE TREATMENT OF PAINFUL OSTEOARTHRITIS

The efficacy and tolerability of a new resinate formulation of diclofe nac 75mg taken once or twice daily were compared with that of conventi onal enteric-coated diclofenac sodium 50mg tablets given two or three times daily in a double-blind, randomised, between-patient, 12-week tr ial in 216 adult patients suffering from painful osteoarthritis of the hip and/or knee. Similar and clinically significant reductions in the mean intensity scores of pain at rest or on activity were observed af ter treatment with either formulation. Global evaluations showed the o verall response rate to range between 60% and 75%. A significant analg esic effect was obtained within two weeks of treatment with 150mg dicl ofenac daily; this improvement was maintained on reduction of the dosa ge to 75-100mg over the next ten weeks. One or more drug-related adver se events, predominantly gastrointestinal adverse events, were reporte d by 40% and 38% of patients in the diclofenac resinate and diclofenac sodium groups, respectively.