Pharmacokinetics and effects of isoxicam on renal function in patients with renal insufficiency

The pharmacokinetics of isoxicam, a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, were studied in 20 osteoarthritis patients with varying degrees of renal insufficiency. A wide variation in pharmacokinetic parameters was seen between individuals but there was no suggestion that renal function influenced pharmacokinetics. Steady state plasma isoxicam concentrations varied from 20 micrograms/ml to 130 micrograms/ml, while the plasma half-life varied from 23 hours to 58 hours. Despite a reduction in urinary prostaglandin E2 excretion, isoxicam administration did not alter renal function over a 4-week period.