Fenbufen and indomethacin: a comparative study in rheumatoid arthritis

Fenbufen and indomethacin were compared in the treatment of 30 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In a randomized, double-blind crossover study patients received 75 mg of indomethacin daily or 600 mg of fenbufen daily for six weeks and then were treated with the alternate regimen for a similar period. The drugs were equally efficacious. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate of patients who had received fenbufen was significantly lower than that of patients who had received indomethacin. More side effects were reported by the indomethacin-treated patients. A further 24-week open evaluation of fenbufen in rheumatoid patients indicated that fenbufen is a useful anti-inflammatory analgesic in the long-term management of mild and moderate rheumatoid arthritis.