A long-term study of flurbiprofen in rheumatological disorders: II. Osteoarthrosis

Two hundred and twenty-one patients with osteoarthrosis were evaluated over 18 months in the course of an open, multicentre study in the United Kingdom of the efficacy and safety of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) flurbiprofen (Froben), in which a total of 1,396 patients with a variety of rheumatological disorders took part. Highly significant (p less than 0.001) improvements in pain sources were reported during the first 6 months of treatment, remaining significant for the rest of the 18 months of the study, and a global evaluation of progress made by doctor and patient recorded highly significant improvements by both. Improvement was particularly marked in those who had failed to respond to a previously administered drug, and in the elderly. Side-effects occurred in 21% of those not receiving other NSAIDs concomitantly, and were higher in women than in men who took other drugs at the same time. Side-effects were similar in nature to those of other drugs in this group and no correlation in their frequency or severity with the dosage of flurbiprofen was found.