Double-blind placebo-controlled study of the efficacy and tolerability of suprofen suppositories in patients with osteoarthritic pain.

In a placebo-controlled double-blind trial analgesic effectiveness and tolerability of alpha-methyl-4-(2-thienyl-carbonyl)phenylacetic acid (suprofen, Suprol) 300 mg suppositories were evaluated for 45 informed patients suffering from chronic pain due to osteoarthritis; the subjects were treated rectally, t.i.d., for 10 days. Suprofen proved to be statistically significantly superior to placebo in all the variables considered for evaluation of the analgesic effect, i.e., pain intensity and relief scores, sum of pain intensity differences (SPID), total pain relief (TOTPAR), global assessments by investigator and patient. In particular, the efficacy of suprofen was judged by the physician good or very good in 86.3% of the patients. Similar frequencies of rectal side-effects were observed in both treatment groups, with slightly but not significantly higher incidence in the group treated with suprofen. Haematologic and clinical chemistry laboratory tests showed no statistically significant alterations due to the treatment.