Piroxicam in osteoarthritis: a controlled long-term study.

This six-month double-blind, parallel-design study compared the efficacy and safety of piroxicam 20 mg and 40 mg with that of 12 tablets of aspirin in 29 patients with osteoarthritis and demonstrated that both piroxicam doses were superior to aspirin in the treatment of osteoarthritis with respect to physicians' opinion of improvement and ease of movement. The safety of piroxicam 20 mg and aspirin were comparable, with gastrointestinal side effects being the most prevalent adverse effect. Patients receiving piroxicam are continuing in a five-year efficacy and safety study.