[Controlled double blind comparison of acemetacin to indomethacin in patients with chronic polyarthritis]

In a double blind study [1-(p-chlorobenzoyl)-5-methoxy-2-methylindol-3-acetoxy] acetic acid (acemetacin, TV 1322, Rantudil¿) was compared with indometacin in 2 x 20 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. The duration of the study was 3 weeks. The patients received 3 x 30 mg/d acemetacin or 3 x 50 mg indometacin in capsules. The therapy was controlled at accurately defined intervals. Statistical evaluation of the data regarding the influence on pain and motility did not reveal any significant differences between the two drugs. Neither the evaluation of the recorded side effects nor the laboratory tests showed any statistical difference between the two therapies. The gastrointestinal complaints occurred more frequently in the indometacin group (5 of 20, of these 3 withdrawals) than in the acemetacin group (3 of 20, of these 1 withdrawal). However, this difference was not statistically secured. Evaluation of the therapeutic effect did not reveal any significant differences between acemetacin and indometacin at the administered molar dose ratio of 1:2. However, the acemetacin therapy had a markedly improved gastrointestinal tolerability.