Study: Etoricoxib Is Effective Therapy for Acute Gouty Arthritis

University of Pennsylvania researchers say etoricoxib, the investigational COX-2 inhibitor, is an effective treatment for acute gouty arthritis, and could offer an alternative to indometacin, the standard treatment for the disease.

A multi-center, randomized, double-blind trial included 150 adults who had been diagnosed with acute gouty arthritis of no more than 48 hours' duration. Half of the patients received a once-daily dose of etoricoxib, while the other half received indometacin three times daily.

Reporting in the British Medical Journal, researchers said that based on assessments of pain, tenderness and inflammation, etoricoxib was comparable to indometacin for speed of relief and reduction in pain, with patients reporting significant relief four hours after the first treatment.

The frequency of adverse effects for both treatment groups was similar, as well.

"Etoricoxib was generally safe and well-tolerated in this study (and) is an effective treatment alternative to indometacin," the researchers concluded.

Other sources: British Medical Journal