[Treatment of progressive chronic polyarthritis with a non-steroidal antirheumatic agent with a long half-life].

73 patients with definite active rheumatoid arthritis were treated with naproxen, 250 mg b.i.d. One month after the start of therapy the patients were examined as to following parameters: spontaneous pain and pain on movement, duration of morning stiffness, fatigue, grip strength, functional joint index, ESR and consumption of analgesics. On statistical analysis a significant improvement of all the parameters, with the exception of ESR was shown, 52 of the 73 patients were very satisfied resp. satisfied with the treatment, whereas the physician evaluated the therapeutic results as very good to good in 49 of the cases. In 50 of the patients the therapy with naproxen, 250 mg b.i.d., was continued for two more months. In most of these cases it was possible to achieve an additional improvement in the parameters evaluated. Unwanted side effects occurred in 7 patients, of which in 4 the treatment had to be discontinued (in two cases because of dyspepsia and once each because of an angioneurotic edema and a recurrence of a peptic ulcer, respectively). The three patients in whose cases therapy was continued suffered from mild gastrointestinal disturbances.