title: Clinical evaluation of intravenous paracetamol versus Parecoxib for postoperative analgesia after general anaesthesia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Postoperative pain has a significant impact on patient's recovery and optimal nonopioid analgesia would reduce postoperative pain and pain-related complications. This study was aimed to evaluate the analgesic efficacy and safety of intravenous paracetamol versus parecoxib for postoperative analgesia after surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-eight adult consented patients belonging to ASA I and II, scheduled for surgery, were randomly allocated in two treatment groups receiving either infusion of paracetamol (1 gm) or parecoxib (40 mg). The surgical and anesthetic techniques were standardized. Postoperative pain was assessed using visual analog score (VAS) at rest, during coughing and movement. The primary variables were the differences between the mean values of postoperative pain scores, time of first dose of rescue analgesic (tramadol) required, and patient satisfaction throughout the first 12 postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference among groups to first request for tramadol. The VAS score was significantly less in parecoxib group at rest compared to paracetamol group (P<0.05), but the same did not differ for pain score while coughing and movement. Patients in the parecoxib group were more satisfied regarding the postoperative pain management at 12 h postoperatively. The incidence of adverse side effects was infrequent in both the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postoperative nonopioid intravenous analgesia with paracetamol and parecoxib is comparable in the early postoperative period with no adverse effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, N. S. C. B. Subharti Medical College, Subhartipuram, NH-58, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Kumkum
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, N. S. C. B. Subharti Medical College, Subhartipuram, NH-58, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Bhawna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rastogi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radio-diagnosis, Imaging and Interventional Radiology, N. S. C. B. Subharti Medical College, Subhartipuram, NH-58, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Prashant K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, N. S. C. B. Subharti Medical College, Subhartipuram, NH-58, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, N. S. C. B. Subharti Medical College, Subhartipuram, NH-58, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Salony
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedics, N. S. C. B. Subharti Medical College, Subhartipuram, NH-58, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Avinash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rastogi
keywords: Intravenous paracetamol; parecoxib; postoperative analgesia; tramadol; visual analog scale