AN OPEN, RANDOMIZED STUDY OF KETOPROFEN IN PATIENTS IN SURGERY FOR ACHILLES OR PATELLAR TENDINOPATHY

Objective. To assess the concentration of ketoprofen, after topical pl aster application, in various tissues in relation to plasma levels in 60 patients undergoing surgery for Achilles or patellar tendinopathy; and to analyze whether tissues act as a reservoir of ketoprofen, by ev aluating tissue concentrations in relation to plasma concentration at Various time points after removal of the plaster. No attempt was made to study the clinical effect of treatment per se. Methods, In random o rder the patients applied 30 mg plasters once daily for 5 consecutive days (n = 30), or took a single oral dose 50 mg (n = 30) before surger y Tissue samples of skin, subcutaneous fat, tendon sheath, and tendon, and plasma were collected intraoperatively at 0, 6 and 14 hours after removal of the 5th plaster, and at 2, 6, and 14 hours after oral inta ke. Ketoprofen concentration was determined by a validated GC/MS metho d. The low limit of quantification was 0.5 ng/ml plasma and 0.5 ng/50 mg tissues. Results, High concentrations of ketoprofen were observed i n fat; tendon sheath, and tendon after topical applications, whereas p lasma levels of ketoprofen were low. Conclusion, Ketoprofen attains hi gh concentrations in subcutaneous tissues after multiple topical appli cations. Subcutaneous tissues appear to act as a reservoir of ketoprof en.