Therapeutic Observational Study of Movalis in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Overview

The objective of this open postmarketing study is to test and express objectively the effectivenessand tolerance of meloxicam in active rheumatoid arthritis in clinical practice of out-patientrheumatologists in the Czech Republic. A total of 412 patients (76 men, 336 women) participated inthe study, mean age 53.1 (± 7) years, suffering from active rheumatoid arthritis on an average for8.6 years (± 4.3). The study lasted 8 weeks and the administered dose of meloxicam dose was 15–7.5mg per dose. At the end of the study a statistically significant improvement of all investigatedparameters of effectiveness was recorded: mean painfulness of joints at rest (p < 0.001), the meanarticular pain during movement (p = 0.01), the mean functional impairment of joints (p = 0.01), themean number of painful joints (p = 0.001), the mean number of swollen joints (p = 0.005), the meanperiod of morning stiffness (p = 0.01) and the state of the disease evaluated by the patient ( p = 0.005).The global evaluation of effectiveness by the physician was 2.13 on a four-point verbal scale (0 =poor, 3 = very good). Tolerance of treatment was very good. Undesirable effects were recorded ina total of 23 patients (5.6 %), incl. undesirable gastrointestinal effects in 13 patients (3.2%). A total of11 patients discontinued participation in the study on account of non serious undesirable gastroin-testinal effects (dyspepsia, epigastralgia), another five patients on account of other undesirableeffects (allergy, furunculosis, deterioration of another disease). Conclusion: Meloxicam in doses of7.5-15 mg per day is a very well tolerated and effective NSA in rheumatoid arthritis.

Key words:
meloxicam, rheumatoid arthritis