Choline magnesium trisalicylate versus ibuprofen in rheumatoid arthritis

A double-blind study compared choline magnesium trisalicylate (Trilisate tablets, Purdue Frederick) (CMT) and ibuprofen (IPF) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The seven-week trial in 134 ambulatory patients, of whom 68 received CMT and 66 received IPF, was conducted as a multicentre study. Both CMT and IPF were highly effective in reducing significantly all symptoms that had worsened following the discontinuance of previous therapy. The anti-inflammatory effect of CMT produced a significantly (P less than 0.05) greater reduction in the number of swollen joints, compared to IPF, in patients completing all required visits. Further clinical study will be required before the full clinical significance of this observation emerges. Incidence of adverse effects for each drug did not differ significantly.