International experience with diclofenac in rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis, although not the most common of the rheumatic diseases, is potentially the most disabling. For this reason, it is considered the principal disorder for determining the therapeutic effectiveness of any new antirheumatic agent. Diclofenac sodium, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, has been studied extensively in international clinical trials since the early 1970s. It has proved to be at least equal in efficacy to other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In addition, its superior safety profile suggests that diclofenac will be a valuable agent in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, for which long-term drug therapy is usually required.