title: Comparative evaluation of oral flupirtine and oral diclofenac sodium for analgesia and adverse effects in elective abdominal surgeries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Flupirtine is a centrally-acting, nonopioid analgesic that interacts with N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study was designed to compare analgesic efficacy and adverse effects of orally administered flupirtine and diclofenac sodium for postoperative pain relief.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective, randomized double-blind study, 100 patients of American Society of Anesthesiologist grade I and II in the age group of 18-65 years of either sex undergoing elective abdominal surgeries were included after taking informed consent.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study started after 12 h of surgery and patients were randomly divided into two groups of 50 each. For postoperative analgesia, group A received flupirtine 100 mg orally and group B received diclofenac sodium 50 mg orally and study drugs were repeated every 6 hourly for 5 days postoperatively. Vital parameters and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for pain were recorded at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16 and 24 h, and adverse effects were noted for 48 h of the study period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were compiled and analyzed statistically using Chi-square test and two-tailed Student's t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Visual analogue scores decreased more rapidly in diclofenac group during 1(st) h, hence there was rapid onset of analgesia in this group as compared to flupirtine group but later on VAS was comparable in both groups at all measured intervals (P > 0.05). Patients in diclofenac group experienced significantly more heartburn (P = 0.00), impaired taste sensation (P < 0.001) and dizziness (P = 0.004) as compared to flupirtine group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oral flupirtine and diclofenac sodium were equally effective for postoperative analgesia. There was faster onset of analgesia with diclofenac sodium, but flupirtine was better tolerated by the patients because of its minimal adverse effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Government Medical College, Amritsar, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Joginder Pal
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Attri
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Government Medical College, Amritsar, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Gagandeep Kaur
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Sandhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Government Medical College, Amritsar, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Sudhir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khichy
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Government Medical College, Amritsar, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Harsimrat
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Government Medical College, Amritsar, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Kulwinder
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Government Medical College, Amritsar, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Radhe
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sharan
keywords: Analgesia; diclofenac sodium; flupirtine; pain