A clinical and laboratory study of some metabolic and hormonal effects of CI-583 Na compared with CI-440 and indomethacin in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

In this trial we have studied the following parameters: (1) Clinical improvement of rheumatoid arthritis, (2) changes in protein-binding of plasma cortisol, (3) changes in protein-binding of thyroid hormone, (4) changes in fibrinolytic activity of plasma, and (5) adverse reactions attributable to medication. We have studied 30 male or non pregnant female in-patients during a four week period. They were classified according to the A.R.A. criteria. From our study it seems quite probable that the anti-flogistic effects of these drugs may be due in part at least to an increased adrenocortical secretion of cortisol or to an increase of its free fraction. In most of the cases it is evidently impossible to correlate analytical and clinical effects. So, we must assume that on present grounds of our knowledge the therapeutic effects are largely independent of the results obtained.