Fenbufen as a single daily dose in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Fenbufen (3(4-biphenyl-carbonyl) propionic acid) (Cinopal; Lederle) was administered as a single daily dose of 1000 mg for 4 weeks to 20 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. At 2 weeks, and again at the end of the trial, patients were assessed for duration of morning stiffness, number of painful and/or swollen joints, grip strength, walking time, and subjective response to treatment. Four patients failed to complete the trial, 2 because of inability to control symptoms and 2 because of severe rash attributed to the drug. The remaining 16 patients showed some improvement in most of the recorded parameters, with statistically significant reduction of morning stiffness and walking time. Apart from a maculopapular rash, which occurred in 4 patients and cleared up on stopping the fenbufen, side-effects were minimal. No patient complained of dyspepsia or epigastric pain.