An open trial of naproxen in rheumatoid arthritis patients with significant esophageal, gastric, and duodenal lesions

Abstract

To confirm the reported lack of major gastrointestinal side effects of naproxen, we gave 58 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis and significant gastrointestinal disease therapeutic doses of naproxen while closely monitoring them for signs and symptoms of gastrointestinal dysfunction. All patients underwent upper gastrointestinal x-ray examinations at the start of the trail, and, when indicated, during the course of the study. Endoscopies were also performed when indicated. Forty patients had hiatus hernia and 35 had peptic ulcer (23 duodenal ulcer and 12 gastric ulcer). Twenty-six patients had a combination of hiatus hernia with either type of peptic ulcer. After 262 patient visits over a period of 52 weeks, 35 patients remained in the study, all having had more than six months of naproxen therapy in dosages ranging from 500 to 750 mg daily. In 33 of the 35, the response to naproxen had generally been good to excellent. Only seven patients dropped out of the trial because of complaints referable to side effects. There were no major related upper gastrointestinal side effects as monitored by continuing clinical evaluation, stool occult blood, comprehensive laboratory examination, and, where indicated, upper gastrointestinal x-ray studies. Approximately 70 per cent of the patients demonstrated efficacy on long-term naproxen therapy by subjective and objective parameters. Naproxen appears to be an efficacious and remarkably safe drug in the long-term therapy of rheumatoid arthritis, even in the presence of significant upper gastrointestinal symptomatology.