A COMPARISON OF KETOPROFEN SR AND SULINDAC IN THE ELDERLY WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS |
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| Authors: | M J Ahern MD FRACP M Wetherall BEd A Leslie MB BS R H James BSc P J Roberts-Thomson PhD FRACP G C Rennie BA BSc MA |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Medicine, Flinders University of SA, Adelaide;2. Department of Rheumatology, Repatriation General Hospital, Adelaide;3. Rhone-Poulenc Rarer, Melbourne;4. O R Systems, Melbourne, Australia |
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| Abstract: | The elderly (age >65 years) are more vulnerable to side-effects induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). We therefore performed a double-blind comparative study of ketoprofen SR and sulindac in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis, 65 years of age or older. Sulindac was chosen because of its possible renal sparing effects, and ketoprofen SR because of its short half life and sustained release delivery system. Eighty patients were entered. More patients withdrew from the study due to side-effects in the sulindac group; both treatment groups had a high incidence of side-effects during this study and during previous exposure to other NSAIDs, demonstrating that the elderly are susceptible to side-effects from NSAIDs. |
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