A double-blind, crossover comparison between indoprofen and aspirin in rheumatoid arthritis

Twenty in-patients with rheumatoid arthritis took part in a double-blind, crossover clinical trial to compare the effectiveness and tolerance of 400 mg indoprofen with 1000 mg aspirin each given 3-times a day for 1 week, with an interval of 2 days during which patients received an indistinguishable placebo. At the start and at the end of each treatment period several subjective and objective indices were measured. Both indoprofen and aspirin to remable improvement in patient conditions, with no significant differences between drugs in overall pain, number of swollen joints, grip strength and functional index. Indoprofen, however, was significantly superior to aspirin with regard to the number of painful joints (p < 0.01), duration of morning stiffness (p < 0.05) and articular index (p < 0.05). Moreover, both patients' and investigators' opinion of overall response favoured indoprofen. Small but significant decreases were recorded in ertythrocyte sedimentation rate and seromucoid levels in both treatment periods. Adverse reactions, mainly as gastric pyrosis and/or gastralgia, occurred in 6 patients while on aspirin, in 2 while on indoprofen, and in a further 2 while on both drugs. No statistically significant changes were observed in safety laboratory tests.