More Study Needed for NSAID Cream as Arthritis Treatment

Additional studies are necessary to determine if long-term treatment with a topical version of transdermal ketoprofen -- a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) -- is effective in treating arthritis, according to researchers.

A study reported in the July issue of the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine found that when transdermal ketoprofen creme is applied directly to the skin, it is safe and effective in lessening muscle soreness experienced 24 to 48 hours following exercise. The finding has raised hope among researchers that the cream may an effective arthritis treatment.

This finding is important, according to University of California at San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine researchers, because applying the drug directly to the skin avoids unpleasant side effects sometimes experienced with NSAIDs taken orally.

In a study involving 32 healthy males between the ages of 18 and 35 years, participants who used the NSAID cream reported 48 hours after exercise that they were experiencing 37 to 45 percent less muscle soreness than those who used a placebo.

Currently, oral NSAIDs are the most commonly prescribed medications for pain relief and reduction of inflammation experienced after exercise.

Annually, an estimated 103,000 patients are hospitalized each year in the U.S. for NSAID-induced gastrointestinal complications, and more than 16,000 NSAID-related deaths occur each year among arthritis patients alone.

Other sources: UCSD Health Sciences Communications