A controlled comparative trial of Butacote and fenclofenac in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis.

A double-blind crossover trial of fenclofenac was untertaken to compare the short-term effects of phenylbutazone (Butacote) therapy with fenclofenac therapy (1200 mg daily) in 23 patients suffering from ankylosing spondylitis. The patients were randomly allocated to each of the test drugs for a period of two weeks, following wash-out periods of paracetamol for four days. The results favoured Butacote therapy in a dosage of 300 mg daily in the expressed preferences of both the patients and the physicians conducting the trial. Butacote was also better tolerated, as no severe side-effects occurred during treatment, whereas five patients developed a widespread rash during the period of fenclofenac therapy. No significant differences were seen between the two drugs in terms of clinical measurements of pain, morning stiffness, spinal movements, chest expansion, and abduction of the hips. Butacote was shown to cause some significant depletion of haemoglobin level, probably due to water retention, and Butacote also reduced the serum urate level to a significant degree.