Analgesic efficacy of diclofenac versus methylprednisolone in the control of postoperative pain after surgical removal of lower third molars.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the analgesic efficacy of methylprednisolone (corticoid) versus diclofenac (nonsteroidal antiinflammatory-NSAID-) after surgical removal of lower third molars.


METHODS
Prospective study on 73 patients for the surgical removal of their lower third molars. These patients were separated in two groups at random: a diclofenac group and a methylprednisolone group. A record card was filled in with preoperative and postoperative epidemiological and clinic data. The pain level assessment was made on a semiquantitative and an analogical visual scales and in relation to the amount of rescue analgesics consumed. Pain levels were measured at 1, 8, 24, 48 and 72 hours. In order to make a broad study of data, BMDP program was used for statistics.


RESULTS
In the pain described by patients in the analogical visual scale there were no differences between groups as a whole. There were no differences in the amount of rescue analgesics consumed.


CONCLUSIONS
There is less pain in the corticoid group but not as to justify its routine use.
López-Carriches
Carmen
C
Universidad Europea de Madrid. carmen.lopez@uem.es
Martínez-González
José Maria
JM
Donado-Rodríguez
Manuel
M
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000601:surgery; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D004008:Diclofenac; D008775:Methylprednisolone