BMJ  2004;329 (7 August), doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7461.0-c

Topical NSAIDs relieve osteoarthritis pain for only two weeks

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are not effective in the long term treatment of people with osteoarthritis, as their effect wears off after two weeks. Analysing 13 randomised trials including 1983 patients with osteoarthritis, Lin and colleagues (p 324) also found that even during the first two weeks of treatment topical NSAIDs were not as effective as oral NSAIDs, and caused more side effects such as rashes, itching, and burning.

Credit: P. MARAZZI/SPL

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Relevant Article

Efficacy of topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Jinying Lin, Weiya Zhang, Adrian Jones, and Michael Doherty
BMJ 2004 329: 324. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]