Cyclofenil for Raynaud's phenomenon in progressive systemic sclerosis.

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Vascular Medicine
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) is a common complication in patients with scleroderma.
• Effective treatments for RP secondary to scleroderma are limited.
• Cyclofenil has been investigated as a potential therapeutic agent.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of Cyclofenil compared to placebo for treating Raynaud's phenomenon in scleroderma patients.
• To synthesize available evidence from randomized controlled trials.

Main Methods:

• A systematic search of medical databases (Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Medline) was conducted up to April 1997.
• Randomized trials comparing Cyclofenil to placebo with reported clinical outcomes were included.
• Data were independently abstracted, and statistical analyses included Peto's odds ratio and weighted mean difference.

Main Results:

• One trial involving 38 patients met the inclusion criteria.
• A trend towards improvement and increased dropouts with Cyclofenil was observed, but these differences were not statistically significant.
• No statistically significant differences in clinical outcomes or toxicity were found between Cyclofenil and placebo.

Conclusions:

• Cyclofenil is not effective for the treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon secondary to scleroderma.
• Current evidence does not support the use of Cyclofenil for this condition.
• Further research may be needed to explore alternative treatments.