Clinical evaluation of ketoprofen (19.583 R.P.) in rheumatoid arthritis. Double-blind cross-over comparison with indomethacin.

In a double-blind cross-over trial the clinical efficacy of ketoprofen (19.583 R.P., Orudis, Profenid N.D.), in comparison with that of indomethacin was investigated in 30 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The two drugs were each given in a dosage of 150 mg daily for a period of 14 days. The clinical effects of ketoprofen and indomethacin were equal (p less than 0.90), but several side-effects appeared less often and to a milder degree during ketoprofen treatment. The study indicates that ketoprofen may prove to be a valuable drug in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.