Experience with piroxicam in general practice: results of a German multicenter study on 18,888 patients.

18,888 patients with chronic or extra-articular rheumatic diseases were treated for an average period of 36.1 or 26.9 days with the new non-steroidal anti-rheumatic agent piroxicam. In particular, piroxicam had a positive effect in terms of providing relief from pain. Side effects were relatively rare and seldom required discontinuation of treatment. In about 75% of the patients the maintenance dose was 20 mg piroxicam in a single daily dose. No influence on the laboratory values or accompanying diseases were observed.