Six-month, double-blind comparison of sodium meclofenamate ("Meclomen') with buffered aspirin in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Sodium meclofenamate (200 to 400 mg daily) was compared with aspirin (2.4 to 4.8 g daily) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in a 6-month, double-blind, multicentre study. Two groups of patients participated, one receiving stabilized doses of concomitant gold or steroid therapy and one not receiving such therapy. In these latter patients, sodium meclofenamate appeared to be more effective than aspirin; tenderness was reduced from 35% to 50% more on sodium meclofenamate throughout the study, the differences being statistically significant during the first 2 months, and over all condition improved in a significantly greater proportion of the patients receiving sodium meclofenamate. Among the patients receiving concomitant gold or steroid, neither drug appeared to be as effective as in the group not receiving the concomitant therapy and the results with both aspirin and sodium meclofenamate were virtually the same for all measures. With sodium meclofenamate the most common adverse reaction was diarrhoea; and with aspirin, it was tinnitus. The incidence of withdrawals for adverse reactions did not differ significantly between the two medication groups. Abnormal laboratory values were observed in a few patients, but the incidence did not differ between the groups. On the basis of the study, sodium meclofenamate appears to be relatively well tolerated and at least as effective as aspirin in the treatment of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.