COMPARATIVE SAFETY AND COST EFFECTIVE ANALYSIS BETWEEN ACECLOFENAC, LORNOXICAM AND DICLOFENAC IN PATIENTS OF MUSCULO SKELETAL DISORDER

Newer NSAIDs like Aceclofenac and Lornoxicam are being marketed by pharmaceutical industries with claims of better efficacy and safety than conventional NSAIDs like Diclofenac. So this  study  aims  to  comparatively  assess  the safety, efficacy  and cost of Aceclofenac,  Lornoxicam  and Diclofenac in patients of musculoskeletal disorders. Patients presenting with musculoskeletal disorders were randomized into three treatment groups (50 in each).  Comparative analgesic efficacy assessment between the three drugs were done by using   visual analog scale (VAS) reading on Day-0 and then weekly till 3 weeks; adverse drug reaction (ADR) information  were  collected by spontaneous reporting from patients and by active surveillance and were recorded in a predesigned proforma. Relative cost was assessed by comparative unit cost price of individual drugs (of different pharmaceutical companies).  It was observed that Lornoxicam, Aceclofenac and Diclofenac are equally effective as analgesic. Both Aceclofenac and Lornoxicam have similar ADR profile which is significantly less than that of Diclofenac. Though  analgesic  activity  and  safety  profile of  Aceclofenac  is  comparable  to  Lornoxicam, but Aceclofenac  is  cheaper than Lornoxicam , hence comparatively cost effective.