salicylates and Sciatica

An open trial with diflunisal (500 mg twice daily) in 766 outpatients consulting their doctor for low back pain, was carried out as part of the project "Back Pain 1981" in Finland. Of the patients (mean age 41 years), 460 had acute lumbago, 144 sciatica and 162 had chronic low back pain as a clinical diagnosis. In each diagnostic group there was a control group of patients receiving no drug therapy. Of the patients 65 percent were men and 35 percent women and the groups did not differ from this distribution in any diagnosis. The efficacy of the treatment was evaluated using four criteria: change of pain at rest and during exercise, patient's evaluation of the efficacy of the treatment, and the need for any supportive treatment. Side-effects of the drug therapy were registered. In all diagnostic groups the relief of pain both at rest and during exercise was greater in patients receiving diflunisal than in the controls. The greatest difference was found in lumbago. The patient's evaluation did not differ between the groups. The drug therapy diminished the need for supportive physical therapy. The frequency of side-effects was 8.6%. They led to the discontinuation of medication in 14 cases (3%). No severe side-effects were found. Diflunisal therapy for the relief of low back pain is therefore considered to be indicated in outpatient care.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Back Pain; Chronic Disease; Clinical Trials as Topic; Diflunisal; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Salicylates; Sciatica; Sex Factors

The various stages in the diagnostic process are discussed with particular reference to rheumatology. Consideration is given to recent "early" and "preclinical" diagnosis concepts, and these are applied to the aircrew category. The main "rheumatological emergencies" are listed and described for the purposes of that "specialised" prevention constantly needed to a greater extent, not only in the complex, demanding activity of aircrew, but also in the wider "world of labour", as currently conceived.

Topics: Aerospace Medicine; Collagen Diseases; Emergencies; Gout; Humans; Hydrarthrosis; Salicylates; Sciatica

In the introduction the chemistry of some bivalent copper complexes of aspirin and salicylate is briefly reviewed and the biological importance of mixed-ligand complexes of bivalent copper is illustrated. The nature of hydroxy-bridged copper (II) complexes and their possible role in the physiological activity of histamine is also discussed. Several neutral, insoluble copper (II) complexes of the type (Chelate-Cu-salicylate) 0-lambda H2O where chelate = 1, 10-phenanthroline (phen), chi = 1; 2,2'-bipyridyl (bipy), chi = 2; histamine (Ha), chi = 1; and where salicylate (sal) = dianion of salicylic acid have been prepared for the first time. They have been characterised by physico-chemical methods and the role of binuclearhydroxy-bridged copper (II) complex ions in their formation is demonstrated. Such complexes may be relevant to the pharmacological action of histamine and of the salicylates, the copper complexes of which are potential anti-inflammatory drugs. Results of some in vivo experiments that have been carried out with mice are also presented.

Topics: Animals; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Chelating Agents; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Copper; Histamine; Humans; Ligands; Mice; Rheumatic Fever; Salicylates; Sciatica

Topics: Administration, Topical; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Drug Combinations; Drug Evaluation; Female; Gels; Heparin; Humans; Joint Diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Nicotinic Acids; Rheumatic Diseases; Salicylates; Sciatica

Topics: Administration, Oral; Back Pain; Drug Tolerance; Humans; Injections, Intramuscular; Injections, Intravenous; Osteoarthritis; Rheumatic Diseases; Salicylates; Sciatica

Topics: Adult; Antibody Formation; Copper; Humans; Infusions, Parenteral; Male; Mononuclear Phagocyte System; Salicylates; Sciatica; Sodium

Topics: Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Back Pain; Humans; Intervertebral Disc Displacement; Phenylbutazone; Pyrazoles; Salicylates; Sciatica

Topics: Copper; Humans; Organometallic Compounds; Salicylates; Sciatica; Sodium; Sodium Salicylate

Topics: Administration, Rectal; Rheumatic Diseases; Salicylamides; Salicylates; Sciatica