Journal of the Indian Medical Association
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
An open prospective study on postmarketing evaluation of the efficacy and tolerability of diacerein in osteo-arthritis of the knee (DOK).
According to World Health Organisation osteo-arthritis is the second commonest musculoskeletal problem in the world. Diacerein has been recently introduced in India for the treatment of osteo-arthritis. In view of the ulcerogenic potential of NSAIDs and the cardiotoxicity problems associated with COX-2 inhibitors, diacerein has the potential of being a non-ulcerogenic and non-cardiotoxic alternative respectively to NSAIDs and of COX-2 inhibitors in the treatment of osteo-arthritis. ⋯ The severity of the adverse events was mild in all the cases and disappeared with continued treatment. None of the patients dropped out of the study on account of adverse events or lack of efficacy. Thus, in conclusion, the results of the present study in a large population of Indian patients indicates that diacerein constitutes a novel approach to the treatment for the short- and long-term symptomatic management in Indian patients with osteo-arthritis of the knee.