COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SAFETY,EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY OF ACECLOFENAC VERSES DICLOFENAC IN OSTEOARTHRITIS PATIENTS ATTENDING A SECONDARY CARE HOSPITAL IN ANANTAPURAMU

OBJECTIVE: Assess the safety, efficacy and tolerability of medication by using different scales. Compare the different disease management strategies adopted according to the disease relief achieved, adverse effects noticed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patient diagnosed with OA were selected randomly and involved in the study after obtaining consent from them. Patient's interview was done to determine disease outcome before and after the treatment. Patient medication details, demographic details, lab investigations, x-ray of joints affected and adverse effects experienced by the patients were collected from the medication charts and from patient/attendant interview. The different disease management strategies adopted were then compared. The scores for different patient reported outcomes were than analyzed using Graphpad Instat 3. RESULTS: The over all incidence of adverse effects in our study was 6% in Aceclofenac and 20% in Diclofenac group. Aceclofenac was well tolerated than Diclofenac in terms of epigastric pain, flatulence, abdominal pain and constipation. CONCLUSION: Aceclofenac has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties similar to those of Diclofenac, and gastrointestinal damage is less than that of Diclofenac. This might be due to preferential inhibition of COX-2. This study shows that Aceclofenac is safe, effective and well tolerated drug in osteoarthritic patients. Key Words: Aceclofenac, Diclofenac, NSAIDs VAS and WOMAC.