Topical therapy with Meloxicam for external use (Amelotex gel) for knee osteoarthritis in elderly patients

Abstract

Introduction. Treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) in elderly patients remains an urgent issue due to the high prevalence of the disease, as well as the unsafety of the used drugs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)) and their effect on the concomitant pathology of an elderly patient. Knee joints are most often affected in OA. In the complex therapy of the disease, topical remedies (ointments, gels, and patches), which do not have pronounced side effects, are widely used. Purpose of the study: to evaluate the effectiveness of Meloxicam for external use (MEU) (Amelotex gel) in the complex treatment of knee pain in elderly patients suf fering from OA. Material and methods. 57 elderly patients with knee OA of radiological stages II–III were examined. 30 patients of the study group used MEU for two weeks, in contrast to the control group (27 patients). The pain severity index according to the VAS at rest and walking, the WOMAC index of pain and function, positive results, and the need for NSAIDs were evaluated in dynamics. Results. The positive effect of the drug on the course of the disease has been demonstrated. In the group of the patients who used MEU in the complex OA treatment, a more significant decrease in the severity of joint pain and an improvement in the joint function was achieved, compared with the control group. After two weeks of treatment, the severity of walking pain according to the VAS and the WOMAC pain index in the study group decreased by 45 % and 50 %, respectively, and in the control group — by 32 % and 34 %, respectively (p ˂ 0.05). A greater number of elderly patients were able to stop taking unsafe NSAIDs due to the use of MEU. There were no side ef fects of the use of MEU. Conclusion. Meloxicam for external use is effective in osteoarthritis of the knee joints and does not cause side ef fects.