A long-term study of flurbiprofen in rheumatological disorders: III. Other articular conditions.

A total of 336 patients with ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthropathy or miscellaneous articular disorders were evaluated over 12 months as part of an open, out-patient, multicentre study in the United Kingdom of the efficacy and safety of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) flurbiprofen (Froben) in a total of 1,396 patients with a variety of rheumatological disorders. Significant improvements in pain were found for patients in all groups from the second week onwards, for up to 6 months in those with ankylosing spondylitis, and for up to 12 months of treatment for those with psoriatic arthropathy or other articular conditions. Global assessments of progress in patients taking flurbiprofen in the therapeutic range of 150-400 mg daily for a minimum of 6 months were recorded by doctor and patient. Improvement of patients in all groups reached statistical significance after 1 month's treatment and remained significant at 12 months. The incidence of side-effect reporting over-all was 17.2%, being higher in men than in women in the group receiving no concomitant therapy and doubling in patients receiving NSAIDs in addition to flurbiprofen. Side-effects were similar in nature to those of other drugs in this group.