Fenoprofen therapy in large-joint osteoarthritis: double-blind comparison with aspirin and longterm experience

This study, designed to evaluate fenoprofen in patients with osteoarthritis, consisted of two phases: I. A double-blind crossover comparison of fenoprofen, 200 to 600 mg every six hours, to aspirin, 325 to 975 mg every six hours; II. Longterm use of fenoprofen in an open study design. During the first part of the study, both fenoprofen and aspirin were significantly better than placebo in relieving the severity and duration of pain, and in reducing stiffness. In most of the variables fenoprofen was also slightly better than aspirin. The most frequently observed side effects were abdominal discomfort, headache, pruritus, nervousness, and tinnitus. Longterm administration demonstrated the safety of fenoprofen or periods exceeding two years. Fenoprofen did not precipitate or aggravate chronic disorders, nor did it mask the symptoms of any developing disease. No interaction with concomitant drug therapy was observed.