Indomethacin in rheumatoid arthritis: clinical effects, pharmacokinetics, and platelet studies in responders and nonresponders

Twenty patients with definite or classical rheumatoid arthritis entered and completed a sequential study of placebo for 1 week, oral indomethacin 25 mg 3 times a day for 3 weeks, and oral indomethacin 25 mg 3 times a day plus 100 mg indomethacin suppository at night for 3 weeks. Twelve of the patients had previously been classified as responders and eight as nonresponders to indomethacin by an independent assessor. At the end of each period patients were assessed by a blind observer for duration of morning stiffness, pain score, digital joint size, grip strength, articular index, analgesic tablet usage, and the patient's own overall global assessment and comparative global assessment. In 8 of the 9 tests used responders improved on indomethacin in comparison with placebo, while nonresponders did not improve. There were no significant differences between responders and nonresponders in the plasma half-life, plasma clearance of indomethacin, protein binding of indomethacin, or urinary excretion of free or conjugated indomethacin. There were no significant differences between responders and nonresponders in the urinary excretion of 7HDPA or in the platelet aggregation or platelet malonyldialdehyde production tests. In responders there was a significant positive correlation between the plasma indomethacin concentration (r=0·44, P