A randomized trial of tramadol versus ibuprofen as an adjunct to pain control during vacuum aspiration abortion.
BACKGROUND
The study was conducted to determine whether tramadol is more effective than ibuprofen for reducing pain during uterine aspiration for abortion.


METHODS
Women presenting to a community-based abortion clinic were invited to participate in this double-blind, randomized trial. Following informed consent, subjects were randomly assigned to receive either 50 mg tramadol or 800 mg ibuprofen orally in addition to the standard clinic analgesic protocol. The primary outcome was pain as verbally rated on a scale from 0 to 10. Measurements were obtained immediately after and 30 min postprocedure.


RESULTS
One hundred fifty-eight women were enrolled, 80 women were randomized to ibuprofen and 78 women, to tramadol. Immediately after the procedure, the mean pain scores in both treatment groups were 4.9 (95% CI=4.3-5.5). Thirty min postoperatively the mean pain score in the ibuprofen group was 2.8 compared to 3.6 in the tramadol group (p=.04).


CONCLUSIONS
There was no difference in immediate postprocedure pain between women receiving tramadol or ibuprofen. Ibuprofen is somewhat more effective than tramadol at reducing pain 30 min following surgical abortion.
Romero
Iris
I
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. iris.romero@uchospitals.edu
Turok
David
D
Gilliam
Melissa
M
D000032:Abortion, Therapeutic / Q000009:adverse effects; D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D014147:Tramadol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014619:Vacuum Curettage / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000700:Analgesics; D014147:Tramadol; D007052:Ibuprofen