A double blind crossover study of carprofen and indomethacin in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Twenty-eight patients with definite or classic rheumatoid arthritis were studied in a four-month double blind crossover trial. Patients were randomly divided into two groups, and received either carprofen, 300 mg/day, or indomethacin, 75 mg/day, for a period of two months, and then the other medication for a further two months. The classic procedures and measurements for evaluation of activity of rheumatoid arthritis were used. Laboratory tests were also carried out to assess toxicity. Both drugs were effective for the long term treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and there were no statistically significant differences between the carprofen and indomethacin periods, or between groups. Although the incidence of adverse reactions was similar for both drugs, cutaneous symptoms were more frequent with carprofen than with indomethacin, whereas gastrointestinal and central nervous system reactions were found more often with indomethacin.