Sodium meclofenamate (Meclomen) in the treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. A segment I study.

Thirty-nine patients with JRA were treated with sodium meclofenamate (Meclomen) during a 4-wk open-labeled, non-controlled trial. Increasing doses started at 3 mg/kg/d qid, up to 7.5 mg/kg/d, not to exceed 300 mg/d. Seven patients dropped out due to adverse side effects, and 1 from inefficacy. Efficacy analysis showed statistically significant decreases in several disease indices, in particular the duration of morning stiffness. Twenty-one patients who completed the 4-wk study entered an extended open-labeled study. Nine patients completed at least 9 months of sodium meclofenamate therapy. At 9 months, these 19 showed mean decreases in all rheumatologic disease indices measured. The drug has recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in adults.