6533b835fe1ef96bd12a00a3

RESEARCH PRODUCT

A comparative study of naproxen gel and flufenamic acid gel in the treatment of soft tissue injuries.

subject

description

One hundred patients were enrolled in a single-blind, randomized, parallel group study to compare naproxen gel (10%) with flufenamic acid gel (3%) for the treatment of soft tissue injuries. Demographic variables, the distribution of diagnoses (tendinitis, bursitis/synovitis, synovitis, periarthritis, epicondylitis) and initial severity of the complaint were similar between the two groups. The gels were applied 2 to 6 times per day, as required, and conventional clinical indices were evaluated at Day 1 (on entry to the study), Day 3 and Day 7. Global assessments of efficacy were made by both physicians and patients at the end of the study. By Day 7 both treatments had produced a highly significant improvement in symptoms (p less than 0.001). The patients using naproxen gel, however, improved more rapidly. At Day 3 the number of patients rating 'swelling', 'tenderness to firm palpation' or 'limitation of use' as 'severe' or 'moderate' was significantly less (p less than 0.05) than for patients using flufenamic acid gel. At the end of the study the physician's global efficacy rating showed no significant differences between the two gels; patients, in contrast, showed a significant preference for naproxen gel (p less than 0.05). Both gels were well tolerated. The more rapid onset of effect and patient preference for naproxen gel may be important factors in the choice of medication.