CHARACTERIZATION OF RESPONDERS AND NONRESPONDERS TO TIAPROFENIC ACID AND NAPROXEN IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS

Objective. To characterize responders/nonresponders to 2 nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs by a combination of start variables in the trea tment of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip(s)/knee(s). Meth ods. Two hundred eight patients participated in a 3-week randomized do uble blind parallel group trial. Results. The responder rate to tiapro fenic acid and naproxen was 52 and 59%, respectively. Correctly charac terized by use of a combination of 6 baseline variables were 79% of th e patients treated with tiaprofenic acid and 81% treated with naproxen . Conclusion. Both active drugs were found effective compared with pla cebo in patients with OA, but with different characteristics.