Once daily dose treatment with a non-steroidal anti-rheumatic drug (diclofenac) in osteoarthrosis

In a comparative, double-blind, between-patient, multicentre trial of 2 weeks' duration the efficacy and tolerability of diclofenac sodium 100 mg slow-release tablets, given either as a morning or an evening dose, were compared with that of diclofenac 50 mg enteric-coated tablets b.i.d. and placebo in 148 patients suffering from osteoarthrosis. Statistically significant differences in efficacy were shown between the two diclofenac slow-release regimes and placebo. Diclofenac 100 mg slow-release taken as a morning or an evening dose tended to be more effective than 50 mg enteric-coated tablets in a twice daily regime. The tolerability of diclofenac 100 mg slow-release and 50 mg enteric-coated b.i.d. regimes was similar and not statistically significantly different from placebo.