Clinical response to etodolac in the management of pain

Etodolac is a new nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Published and unpublished data on etodolac in pain management are reviewed to assess the analgesic effectiveness of this drug. Data are presented from four representative studies that showed the analgesic activity of etodolac in postsurgical pain models. These results suggest that the drug would have analgesic utility in other painful conditions such as gout and musculoskeletal disorders. The efficacy of etodolac in such conditions is confirmed by the results from eight controlled clinical studies in patients with gouty arthritis, tendinitis and bursitis, and acute sports injuries. Etodolac 200 or 300 mg twice a day (b.i.d.) or 200 mg three times a day (t.i.d.) was compared with naproxen 500 mg b.i.d. and diclofenac 50 mg b.i.d. or 50 mg t.i.d. All three NSAIDs provided analgesia, and etodolac was comparable in efficacy to the comparators. The data presented in this review suggest a future role for etodolac as an analgesic as well as an anti-inflammatory agent.