[Basic treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with tiopronin. A study of 25 cases]. / Trattamento di fondo dell'artrite reumatoide con tiopronina. Studio su 25 casi.

In the basic treatment of 25 cases of classic or ARA defined rheumatoid arthritis, Tiopronin (alpha-mercaptopropionylglycine) was used for one year. The results obtained showed its therapeutic efficacy, as proven by the remission or improvement in humoral indexes of phlogosis and the suspension or dose reduction of steroid drugs and/or FANS in a high percentage of treated patients (84%). Nephrotic syndrome (1:25) and ageusia (1:25) were the most important side effects. These are common to the other sulfhydryl drugs and probably connected with a particular genetic predisposition in rheumatoid patients.

Double-blind preference and compliance multicentre study in osteoarthritis: once-a-day treatment.

Two-hundred-and-three female patients (mean age: 58 yrs; SD: 8.2 yrs) suffering from osteoarthritis entered this late phase IV multicentre, stratified according to previous therapy (e.g. ketoprofen, naproxen, aspirin, indomethacin or indoprofen), randomized, double-blind, between within-patient trial of 2-week duration. Each patient received either diclofenac SR 100 mg/day (D), piroxicam 20 mg/day (P), or placebo (P1 by oral route. Clinical evaluation (functional class; pain assessment; osteoarthritic condition; joint motility and stiffness) was performed at entry, as well as after the first and the second week. Patient compliance and reported signs and symptoms were recorded after the first week and at the end of the trial. Patient preference, as regards previous therapy, and global evaluation (both by the physicians and the patients) were checked at the end of the trial. The clinical evaluation showed a superiority of D and P over P1. No difference was seen between the two active drugs. Placebo effect was very strong. Global evaluation was significantly in favour of D and P. Patient compliance was extremely good (greater than or equal to 95%). Diclofenac was preferred to naproxen, aspirin and indomethacin, while piroxicam and placebo were preferred only to aspirin. The tolerability of the two active drugs was good and comparable. A significantly lower number of patients complaining of unwanted effects (u.e.) was detected in the placebo group. The number of patients withdrawn for u.e. was similar in the three trial groups.

Controlled study on flurbiprofen and diclofenac in the treatment of rheumatic disorders.

Forty patients affected by various rheumatic disorders (mainly osteoarthritis) were treated with flurbiprofen (300 mg daily) or diclofenac (200 mg daily) in a two-week, parallel group, randomized trial. Both drugs were clinically effective in all the parameters except for fingertip-to-floor distance and ESR. Flurbiprofen proved to be more effective than diclofenac in reducing pain on movement (p less than 0.01) and number of swollen joints (p less than 0.05). The doctor's overall assessment favoured flurbiprofen (p less than 0.10). The incidence and severity of side-effects were low and similar with the two drugs.

Preliminary results on the action of dihydroxydibutylether on the lithogenic index of patients with calculosis of the gall-bladder.

Oral administration of 900 mg daily of dihydroxydibutylether to patients with cholesterol stones in the gall-bladder, reduced the lithogenic index of the bile, whose mean value shifted from 1.64 to 1.03 (p less than 0.01) after 20 days of treatment. Reduction of lithogenic index must be ascribed exclusively to the reduced biliary concentration of cholesterol.