PROGLUMETACIN IN THE TREATMENT OF MINOR TRAUMAS AND OVERUSE SYNDROMESDUE TO SOCCER PRACTICE - A LARGE OPEN TRIAL

In an uncontrolled, open trial, 182 outpatients suffering from either overuse syndromes (n = 68) or minor traumas (n = 114) resulting from s occer practice received proglumetacin, a prodrug of indomethacin, for 10 days, at a dose of 600 mg/d from day 1 to day 5 and 450 mg/d from d ay 6 to day 10. After 2 days and at 5 and 10 days, a highly significan t reduction in symptoms (pain, edema, redness, and local heat) and imp rovement of function were obsen ed (P < 0.001). The incidence of side effects (11.5%)-mainly gastrointestinal (9.3%)-was low, especially com pared with that usually described for indomethacin. More than 50% of t he patients who developed side effects were able to continue taking pr oglumetacin without any specific treatment for the adverse reactions. Seven patients tie, 3.8% of all patients in the study) had to disconti nue the treatment. For the treatment of sport injuries (both overuse s yndromes and minor traumas) due to soccer practice, proglumetacin appe ars to be a safe, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory compound that is asso ciated with a reduction in pain, edema, redness, and local heat, and i mprovement in function in treated patients.