RESEARCH - Licofelone curbs cartilage loss in knee OA

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Licofelone Curbs Cartilage Loss in Knee Osteoarthritis

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) May 29 - Licofelone, a 5- lipoxygenase and

cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor, not only works as well as naproxen in

reducing symptoms of knee osteoarthritis, but it also shows protective

effects against cartilage loss, Canadian and European researchers

report in the June issue of ls of the Rheumatic Diseases.

Dr. J-P Pelletier of the University of Montreal and colleagues came to

this conclusion after studying 355 patients who were randomized to

receive licofelone (200 mg twice daily) or naproxen (500 mg twice

daily).

All of the patients had a baseline MRI. However, over the course of

the study, only 161 of the patients had all four MRI examinations

called for by the study protocol.

Nevertheless, whether intention-to-treat or by-protocol analysis was

employed, compared to naproxen, licofelone significantly reduced

cartilage volume loss in the global joint at 12 and 24 months

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Read the full article here:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/703594

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