TOLERABILITY OF NIMESULIDE IN ASPIRIN-SENSITIVE PATIENTS

In most patients with aspirin and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug ( NSAID) intolerance, antiinflammatory treatment is a clinical problem. In this study we evaluated the tolerance to a new nonsteroidal antiinf lammatory drug, nimesulide (Aulin, Boehringer Mannheim, Italia), in 42 9 patients presenting with clear histories of intolerance to NSAIDs. N imesulide has been chosen due to its weak inhibitory action on cycloox ygenase and its peculiar mechanism of action. We carried out a single- blind challenge with cumulative doses of nimesulide administered on th ree different days, until the therapeutic dose of 200 mg or intoleranc e symptoms were reached. Nimesulide has been well tolerated in 418 sub jects and only 11 patients (3.3%) showed a positive test. Our study de monstrates that nimesulide seems to be a suitable drug in aspirin hype rsensitivity.