This double-blind, randomised trial compared the efficacy and safety of meloxicam vs piroxicam in patients with soft-tissue rheumatism of the shoulder.
599 outpatients at 88 centres in 9 countries.
Oral meloxicam 7.5 mg, meloxicam 15 mg or piroxicam 20 mg, once-daily for 14 days. The primary efficacy endpoint was the assessment of pain on day 7 relative to day 1.
Once-daily treatment with meloxicam 7.5 or 15 mg was comparable to piroxicam. A significantly higher proportion of meloxicam-treated patients had pain relief within day 1 or day 3. The incidence and intensity of adverse events was comparable between the treatment groups, although fewer patients in the meloxicam groups withdrew due to adverse events. There were no apparent differences between the two meloxicam doses.
Treatment with meloxicam was at least as effective as treatment with piroxicam, with a favourable global tolerability for both doses of meloxicam.