Intra-articular use of tenoxicam in degenerative osteoarthritis of the knee joint.

Twenty-eight patients, aged 58 years or more and with clinical and radiological evidence of degenerative osteoarthritis of the knee joint, were entered into an open 6-month pilot study. Patients received a single intra-articular injection of tenoxicam (20 mg) into the affected knee with rigid adherence to aseptic technique. Efficacy was assessed in 25 evaluable patients according to three parameters: pain, hydrarthrosis and range of joint movement. Ten days after injection, 40% of patients (10/25) had greatly improved pain, 24% (6/25) showed improvement, while 12% (3/25) experienced a worsening of their pain; the remaining patients (24%) showed no change. Ten days after injection, the percentage of patients with hydrarthrosis was reduced from 43% (12/28) to 20% (5/25). Range of movement of the affected joint 1 month after injection was increased in 60% (15/25) of patients, decreased in 16% (4/25), and unchanged in 24% (6/25). Two patients reported a slight allergic reaction to the injection; no other side-effects were detected. The results of this pilot study justify investigating the efficacy of intra-articular tenoxicam in controlled double-blind studies.