A double-blind comparative evaluation of tolmetin versus naproxen in osteoarthritis.

A double-blind, between patient trial was carried out in 70 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip joint. Patients were allocated at random to treatment with either 800 mg tolmetin sodium daily or 500 mg naproxen daily over a period of 12 weeks, both drugs being given in identical capsule form in a dosage of 2 capsules twice daily. The results of assessments of functional and subjective parameters before nad during treatment suggest that tolmetin sodium was at least as effective as naproxen in relieving pain and the incidence of side-effects as naproxen in relieving pain and the incidence of side-effects in the two groups was similar.