Once-a-day treatment for arthritis. A comparison.

The three currently available once-a-day treatments for osteoarthritis were compared in a double blind crossover trial. 90 patients received benoxaprofen 600 mg daily, slow-release indomethacin (Indocid-R) 75 mg daily and piroxicam 20 mg daily for three weeks each. The three compounds were comparable in efficacy. Benoxaprofen caused more side effects than the other two drugs and slow-release indomethacin caused slightly more than piroxicam. Despite the greater incidence of side effects, a number of patients still preferred benoxaprofen and elected to continue taking it. Individual preference remains the most important factor in choosing an anti-inflammatory drug for osteoarthritis.