The efficacy of preoperative versus postoperative rofecoxib for preventing acute postoperative dental pain: a prospective randomized crossover study using bilateral symmetrical oral surgery.
BACKGROUND
Previous data have demonstrated that rofecoxib has good analgesic efficacy for acute postoperative dental pain. However, up to half of these patients require rescue analgesics within the first 24 hours. As the timing of analgesic interventions may be an important factor in pain control, the present study tested the hypothesis that rofecoxib administered preoperatively would improve the analgesic efficacy and reduce rescue analgesic requirements within the first 24 hours compared with postoperative administration.


METHODS
This was a double-blind, randomized, crossover study where 45 patients had each of their identical impacted mandibular third molars removed under local anesthesia on 2 separate occasions. Patients acted as their own control; one side was pretreated with rofecoxib 50 mg, 2 hours before surgery, followed by placebo 15 minutes after surgery, and the contralateral side was pretreated with placebo 2 hours before surgery and posttreated with rofecoxib 50 mg 15 minutes after surgery. The difference in postoperative pain between 2 sides was assessed by 4 primary end-points: pain intensity as measured by a 100-mm visual analogue scale hourly for 12 hours, time to rescue analgesic, postoperative analgesic consumption, and patient's global assessment.


RESULTS
Patients reported significantly lower pain scores (P = 0.04), longer time to rescue analgesic (P = 0.02), lesser postoperative analgesic consumption (P = 0.008), and better global assessment (P = 0.01) in the pretreated compared with the posttreated sides. There were significantly more patients in the pretreated group who did not required rescue analgesic within the first 24 hours (80% vs. 58%, P = 0.01), and the pain scores were extremely low in both groups during the 12 hours postoperative period (9.8 +/- 5.0 mm vs. 14.3 +/- 7.4 mm).


CONCLUSIONS
Rofecoxib is an excellent analgesic for preventing postoperative dental pain and when given 2 hours preoperatively rendered most patients relatively pain free, requiring no rescue analgesics on the first postoperative day.
Ong
K S
KS
Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, National University of Singapore, Singapore. cliffong@pacific.net.sg
Seymour
R A
RA
Yeo
J F
JF
Ho
K H
KH
Lirk
P
P
D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019540:Area Under Curve; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007783:Lactones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013450:Sulfones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D007783:Lactones; D013450:Sulfones; C116926:rofecoxib; D000082:Acetaminophen