A COMPARISON OF IBUPROFEN ARGININE WITH MORPHINE-SULFATE FOR PAIN RELIEF AFTER ORTHOPEDIC-SURGERY

In a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, single-dose, parallel-gro up study, oral ibuprofen arginine (400 mg) was compared with intramusc ular (i.m.) morphine sulphate (5 or 10 mg) for post-operative pain rel ief after orthopaedic surgery in 120 patients. The study medication wa s administered post-operatively at the time when each patient first re quested pain relief for mode rate to severe pain. Assessment of pain i ntensity and pain relief was made using standard visual analogue scale s and verbal rating scores. In all three groups, there was a reduction Tn pain compared with baseline, measured by visual analogue scales an d verbal raring scores, at all time points up to completion of the stu dy at 240 min. For example, visual analogue scales decreased by 35 (10 -52) mm at 1 h in the morphine 5 mg group, 24 (12-39) mm in morphine 1 0 mg group and 21 (8-38) mm in tile ibuprofen arginine group (median a nd inter-quartile range). Verbal rating scores showed a similar patter n. Comparing the groups over the whole study period using the sum of p ain intensity differences showed no significant differences in pain ex perience between the groups. Assessment of total pain relief also show ed no significant differences. The incidence and types of side effect seen were similar in the three groups.