The Effect of Indomethacin on Renal Function in Man

Twenty-one patients with rheumatoid arthritis were given indomethacin 25 mg t.i.d. by mouth for 3 weeks followed by indomethacin 25 mg t.i.d. plus a 100 mg suppository at night, after a 5-day period on placebo capsules. The mean (±S.E.) 24-hour creatinine clearance was 57.8 ± 5.7 ml/min in the placebo period and was not significantly altered during indomethacin therapy, 53.1 ± 5.5 ml/min in the oral period and 56.6 ± 6.4 ml/min in the oral plus suppository period (P > 0.1). In 6 volunteers, duplicate 2-hour creatinine clearances were performed after a single oral dose of 50 mg indomethacin. After placebo capsules the mean creatinine clearance was 133.7 ± 9.5 ml/min and after 50 mg indomethacin it was 126.5 ± 8.9 ml/min (P > 0.1). In 4 of the volunteers the mean creatinine clearance after 8 days on indomethacin 25 mg q.i.d. was 117.1 ± 5.3 ml/min (P > 0.1). Indomethacin plasma concentrations were in the usual range for the dose given. Indomethacin caused no reduction in the creatinine clearance in spite of...