[Etofenamate and the analgesic effect in the management of acute pain from spine in the emergency room].
OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate that the application of etofenamate is effective in management of acute pain.


METHODS
We conducted a prospective, longitudnal, 6 months trial, which included 22 women and 18 men with intense acute low back pain of mechanical or postural aetiology, patients who had pain of traumatic origin and needed radiographic studies by orthopaedic surgeon were excluded; the study subjects were treated with 1 g etofenamate intramuscularly and the analgesic effect was assessed by visual analog scale every 5 minutes for 30 minutes.


RESULTS
Marked improvement in pain at 25 minutes in 35 subjects (87.5%). Pain did not improve in 5 subjects (four men, one woman, 12.5%) at 30 minutes. There were no adverse reactions to medication.


CONCLUSIONS
The single dose of 1 g etofenamate is effective in the management of acute pain. Its use prevented 35 admissions with a cost savings of $70,000 pesos. Applying etofenamate caused satisfaction of the beneficiaries and emergency personnel, this drug could be an alternative treatment in medical services and first-level emergency.
Patiñio
José Luis Acosta
JL
Medicos Urgenciólogos adscritos al HGZ 46, Villahermosa, Tabasco. jlacostap@hotmail.com
Mejía
Susana Navarrete
SN
Ramos
Eugenio Quevedo
EQ
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001416:Back Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005439:Flufenamic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D005439:Flufenamic Acid; C015207:etofenamate