Effectiveness and tolerability of nimesulide in the treatment of osteoarthritic elderly patients.

One important point in the treatment of osteoarthritis is to control the pain that accompanies the persistent inflammatory conditions. Because of the chronic nature of the disease, drugs with a good ratio of effectiveness to tolerability must be used. In the following double-blind study the effects of nimesulide, a non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug, were compared with those of placebo in 40 elderly osteoarthritic patients, during and after a treatment cycle of 90 days with two 100-mg tablets a day. The reduction of spontaneous and motion-induced pain and of morning stiffness seen at the various check-ups attested the good effectiveness of nimesulide. Functional status as a whole was improved, and it was found that the concomitant weekly intake of an analgesic (paracetamol) treatment could be decreased during the 3 months of the study. The tolerability of nimesulide was good.