An Objective Evaluation of Naproxen for the Inflammatory Reaction in the Rheumatoid Hand: A Clinical, Thermographic and Volumetric Study

Abstract

An investigation has been carried out to test the anti-inflammatory effect of a new drug, naproxen, against placebo in a material of 24 patients with classical rheumatoid arthritis. The investigation was a double-blind, crossover trial and the evaluation was made by clinical examination (general condition, estimation of pain in the phalangeal joints of both hands, account of number of swollen inter phalangeal joints in both hands), thermographic recording (pictorial registration of heat emission), volumetric registration (measurement of hand volume). The results disclosed that there was a statistically and clinically significant preference for naproxen. This observation was substantiated by the thermographic recording, but volumetric registrations did not indicate any preference for either medication.