[Osteoarthritic disease: therapy with oxicam derivatives]

Two groups, each composed of 20 elderly patients suffering from osteoarthritis characterised by intense pain, were treated for 4 weeks with the oral formulation of two modern oxicam derivatives (tenoxicam capsules and beta-cyclodextrin-piroxicam tablets respectively). The analysis of the results showed that both drugs have an excellent antalgic effect. After the first dose the action of beta-cyclodextrin-piroxican was quicker and more marked, with statistically significant differences between treatments for the first 4 hours. At the end of the study period the two drugs proved to be equally effective, with a more pronounced symptomatic effect of beta-cyclodextrin-piroxican. No side effects serious enough to warrant suspension of treatment were observed: the only side effects reported were gastric adverse events (pyrosis, gastralgia) in both groups, having an incidence of 50% (tenoxicam) and 15% (beta-cyclodextrin-piroxicam) respectively.