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Relief of pain and trismus in patients treated with naproxen or acetylsalicylic acid after tonsillectomy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

S. Kristensen*
Affiliation:
ENT Department, St. Joseph's Hospital, 6700 Esbjerg, Denmark.
K. Tveteraas
Affiliation:
ENT Department, St. Joseph's Hospital, 6700 Esbjerg, Denmark.
P. Hein
Affiliation:
Astra-Syntex Pharmaceuticals, 2000 Copenhagen, Denmark.
H. B. Poulsen
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Vejle Hospital, 7000 Vejle, Denmark.
K. E. Outzen
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Vejle Hospital, 7000 Vejle, Denmark.
*
Soeren Kristensen, M.D., Chief ENT Department, St. Joseph's Hospital, 6700 Esbjerg, Denmark.

Abstract

The pain-relieving efficacy of naproxen and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in tonsillectomized patients was compared in a double blind parallel clinical trial comprising 83 patients, among whom 42 were treated with naproxen and 41 with ASA. The patients were treated post-operatively for two days with either naproxen suppositories 500 mg. twice, or ASA effervescent tablets 1000 mg. three times, daily.

The therapeutic gain was evaluated by recording the intensity of pain, reduced ability to open the mouth (trismus), consumption of supplementary analgesic (parcetamol), and pain-related sleep disturbances.

The statistical analysis of the results revealed no differences in pain intensity, consumption of additional analgesics or pain-related sleep disturbances in the two treatment groups. A considerable degree of trismus was demonstrated in most of the tonsillectomized patients. This reduced ability to open the mouth was gradually overcome in the naproxen group while it remained unchanged in the ASA group, however, no statistical significant difference could be demonstrated. Additionally, no significant positive correlation between pain intensity and trismus was proven. The pain-relieving effect, however, was unsatisfactory in both the naproxen and the ASA group, and clinical controlled trial studies of alternative analgetics in tonsillectomized patients are still to be encouraged.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1988

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