A crossover study comparing diflunisal to diclofenac sodium in rheumatoid arthritis. A correlation with serum interferon-like activity

Diflunisal on twice-a-day dosage regimen of 1.000 mg was a highly effective and well tolerated drug in the management of active rheumatoid arthritis. This drug was as effective as diclofenac in most of the clinical parameters used in this study. However, diflunisal was superior to diclofenac when using the Ritchie articular index. Both drugs showed the same incidence of adverse reactions mostly of gastrointestinal type. No serious side effects occurred during the study. Serum interferon-like activity levels were found to be high in ten precent of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. No correlation was found between the activity of the disease or between any kind of treatment and the interferon-like activity levels.