A multicenter, double-blind comparison of oxaprozin, phenylbutazone, and placebo therapy in patients with tendinitis and bursitis.

The effects of 1,200 mg of oxaprozin once daily, 100 mg of phenylbutazone four times daily, and placebo were compared in the treatment of 125 patients with acute tendinitis and bursitis in a seven-day double-blind study at six clinical sites. Patients in all three treatment groups showed significant (P less than 0.05) improvement as early as the third treatment day. Both the oxaprozin- and phenylbutazone-treated patients frequently showed significantly (P less than 0.05) greater improvement than those in the placebo group in both physician and patient efficacy assessments. The most frequently reported adverse effects were nausea, vomiting, and headache. The results of this study indicate that oxaprozin is as effective and safe as phenylbutazone and superior to placebo in the treatment of patients with acute tendinitis and bursitis.