Therapeutic activity, clinical and gastric tolerance of 20mg daily dose of droxicam in comparison with piroxicam in patients with degenerative joint disease.

The efficacy and safety of droxicam were compared with piroxicam in a pilot study in twenty patients with degenerative joint disease. After a one week washout period a baseline gastroscopy was carried out. Treatment during the following 4 weeks was randomised to droxicam or piroxicam. Safety and tolerance parameters were monitored at weekly intervals. Pain was evaluated with two visual analogue scales (VAS) (patient and investigator). Affected joints, articular index (AI), patient's status and a daily living activities questionnaire were also evaluated. Another gastroscopy was carried out at the end of the treatment period. Droxicam and piroxicam relieved all symptoms significantly without statistically significant clinical differences. Both groups showed no drug related side effects in the laboratory values. In the gastroscopic examinations two patients of the droxicam group and four of piroxicam group had minor gastric erosions after four weeks of treatment without any accompanying clinical symptoms.