ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Ortopedica e Traumatologica 2002 September;53(3):165-72

Copyright © 2002 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Multicentre clinical double blind study comparing analgesic effect of lornoxicam and diclofenac in arthrosis

Lanzetta A., Bocchi L., Chérié-Lignière G., Letizia G., Melanotte P., Rettagliata F., Romanini L.

Background. The variability of the individual response to non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, symptomatic therapy of osteoarthritis, justifies the research for new active molecules. Lornoxicam, recently synthesised, beside a strong pharmacological activity, presents a short half-life, contrarily to piroxicam and tenoxicam, belonging to the same class. Aim of the study is to compare the analgesic activity of lornoxicam 12 mg/day and diclofenac 150 mg/die in out-patients suffering from primary or secondary to functional overload osteoarthritis.
Methods. 1st phase: controlled, double blind, parallel groups, multicentre study; 2nd phase: open with lornoxicam. In the 1st phase 247 patients were enrolled, 124 treated with lornoxicam (67 M/57 F, mean age 53.3 years) and 123 with diclofenac (54 M/69 F, age 55.6 years) and in the 2nd phase 153 patients (69 M and 84 F, age 54.0 years), of which 82 coming from the lornoxicam and 71 from the diclofenac group.
Results. Spontaneous pain and morning stiffness were more effectively relieved by lornoxicam, while pain on movement showed a super-imposable activity of both the treatments. The investigator's and patient's judgments respectively on efficacy and acceptability of the treatment evidenced the good response of the treatments, even if more favourable to lornoxicam. Prolonging the treatment with lornoxicam for 6 weeks confirmed the constant analgesic action on spontaneous pain, pain on movement and morning stiffness.
Conclusions. Lornoxicam shows efficacy and therapeutic safety, at least comparable or superior to diclofenac, confirmed in the medium term treatment, and, hence, can be considered a useful tool in an heterogeneous arthritic population.