[Comparative clinical multicenter study to evaluate analgesic effectiveness of intramuscular etofenamate and diclofenac in patients with post-surgical pain].
OBJECTIVE
The analgesic efficacy of intramuscular etofenamate (1 g/day) and intramuscular diclofenac (75 mg/day) was assessed in post-surgical pain relief during a period of 3 days.


METHODS
One hundred ten hospitalized patients undergoing elective surgery were evaluated in an open-label, comparative, randomized, parallel-group, multicenter study. Fifty five patients received etofenamate and 55 patients diclofenac, 1 h before surgery. The doses were administered after 24 and 48 h. Baseline evaluations were carried out 30 min after anesthesia recovery and the clinical efficacy variables were assessed at 1, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60 and 72 h. The efficacy variables were Pain Visual-Analogue Scale (VAS), Pain Analogous Verbal Scale (AVERS), and Well-Being Scale. Adverse events were documented.


RESULTS
Patients in both groups showed similar values in post-surgical pain relief (VAS, AVERS). According to VAS, etofenamate at 24 h had a better analgesic action than diclofenac even though it was not statistically significant. Both drugs demonstrated to be safe. Patients in both groups reported nausea, vomiting, flatulence, and pain at injection site.


CONCLUSIONS
We find that both etofenamate and diclofenac were safe, tolerable, and effective treatments for the relief of post-surgical pain.
Guevara-López
Uriah
U
Clínica del Dolor, Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Vasco de Quiroga 15, Tlalpan, 14000 Mexico DF. uriahguevara@hotmail.com
Uscanga-Sánchez
Santos
S
Márquez
José
J
Bárcenas-Olivares
Juan
J
Martínez-Arenas
Angeles
A
Palma-Aguirre
José Antonio
JA
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005439:Flufenamic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012449:Safety; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004008:Diclofenac; D005439:Flufenamic Acid; C015207:etofenamate