[Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with pirprofen. Comparison of 2 dosage regimens]

One hundred ninety-five patients suffering from active rheumatoid arthritis were included in a two-week double blind multicentric study, whose purpose was to compare the efficacy and tolerance of a daily dose of 600 mg of pirprofen to that of 1200 mg and the placebo. The results show that there is a dose-effect relationship of definite clinical interest. Thus, the investigators judged the clinical results satisfactory in 60% of the patients in the 1200 mg group (400 mg t.i.d.) 44% of those in the 600 mg group and 36% of those on placebo. The difference is statistically significant (p less than 0.05). Side effects, primarily digestive, were noted in 34% of patients receiving 1200 mg/day, 15% of 600 mg/day and 32% placebo. 2 patients in the 1200 mg group interrupted their treatment for gastralgia and 1 patient on placebo for palpitations.