[Comparative elimination of pirprofen from the plasma and synovial fluid of the knee. 26 cases].

Twenty-six patients with various inflammatory diseases of the knee were treated with a 400 mg dose of pirprofen orally twice a day for 2 days. On the third day, samples of blood and synovial fluid were taken 3 h and 10 h approximately after a fifth 400 mg dose of the drug. Pirprofen concentrations, as determined by gas-liquid chromatography, were higher in plasma than in synovial fluid during the 2-5 h period post-dosing. They decreased with an elimination half-life of 6 h in plasma as against 41 hours in synovial fluid. This study demonstrates that pirprofen diffuses into the synovial fluid where it remains significantly longer than in plasma.