Radio-Isotopic Evaluation with 99mTc of Diftalone's Activity on Articular Inflammation: Comparison with Acetylsalicylic Acid and Indomethacin

Abstract

The99m Tc uptake by the proximal interphalangeal joints (2 nd, 3 rd, 4 th, 5 th fingers of both hands) was measured by external directional counting in 24 patients ( three groups of eight patients each) affected by rheumatoid arthritis, before and after five days of treatment with acetylsalicylic acid (3 gm/day), indomethacin (200 mg/day), and diftalone (1000 mg the first day and 750 mg/day subsequently). A significant decrease in the articular uptake was found only in the group of patients treated with diftalone. The differences relative to diftalone were also statistically significant when the results were analyzed comparatively.