A Comparison of the Analgesic Efficacy of Naproxen and Propoxyphene in Patients with Pain After Orthopedic Surgery

Abstract

A double-blind parallel randomized study comparing naproxen 600 mg, naproxen 400 mg, and propoxypbene 65 mg was performed in 105 patients suffering from pain after orthopedic surgery. A significant difference in analgesic effectiveness was shown between the three drugs with successful analgesia recorded in 66 % of patients who received naproxen 600 mg, 37 % of those who received naproxen 400 mg, and 20% of tbosp who received propoxyphene 65 mg (Ytdf= 15.34, p<O.OOS). Naproxen 600 mg provided successful analgesia more often than did naproxen 400 mg. Complaints were mild but frequent with all drugs (36 % of patients). No serious side effects were observed. Scand J Rheumatol Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by Cornell University on 12/28/14 For personal use only. Ruedy, J. & O'Boyle, M. (1971): A comparison of the analgesic effectiveness of glaphenine and standard oral analgesics in postoperative orthopedic patients. The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology I I: 378. ANALGETISCHE WIRKSAMKEIT VON NAPROXEN BE1 ORTHOPADISCHEN SCHMERZENZwei Dobbelblind-Versuchsreihen wurden durchdischen Studie, wurde die Wirkung von 400, resp. gefuhrt, urn Naproxen auf seine analgetische Wirk-600 mg Naproxen mit 65 mg Propoxyphen versamkeit bei postoperativen Schmerzen nach ortho-glichen. Angaben uber die Schmerzintensitat, padischen Eingriffen, oder nach chirurgischen Schmerznachlass und Nebenwirkungen wurden von Zahnbehandiungen, zu priifen. In der orthopii-einer Krankenschwester aufgezeichnet. Die An- Scond J Rhertmaiology, Suppl2Scand J Rheumatol Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by Cornell University on 12/28/14For personal use only. Scand J Rheumatology, S u p p l 2Scand J Rheumatol Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by Cornell University on 12/28/14For personal use only.

Mild analgesics in postoperative pain.

“…A combination of metamizole 2.5 g and pitofenone 10 mg rectally gave similar results after short-stay herniotomies (Asp & Aromaa, 1977). Naproxen 400 mg and naproxen 600 mg have been reported as providing adequate analgesia in about 60% of patients after dental (Ruedy, 1973) and orthopaedic surgery (Ruedy & McCullough, 1973), respectively. Diflunisal 500 mg or ASA 600 mg have also been found to be effective in about 80% of patients in relieving pain on the first postoperative day after oral or othropaedic surgery or episiotomy (van Winzum & Rodda, 1977).…”

Bioavailability of naproxen sodium and its relationship to clinical analgesic effects.

“…Studies with single 200 to 600 mg doses of naproxen have shown it to be at least as effective as single standard doses of aspirin or other standard reference analgesics in patients with moderate or severe postoperative pain resulting from orthopaedic (Ruedy & McCullough, 1973), dental (Ruedy, 1973), and other surgical procedures (Mahler, Forrest, Brown, Shroff, Gordon, Brown & James, 1976;Stetson, Robinson, Wardell & Lasagna, 1973). The need for an analgesic agent with an even faster onset of action than naproxen, however, has led to an investigation of methods to increase the speed of absorption of naproxen.…”

Assay of aspirin and naproxen analgesia

“…18 chronic pain states. In 100 postoperative patients, Stetson and associates 17 found that 400 mg of naproxen is more effective than 25 mg of meperidine; in 105 orthopedic patients, Ruedy and MeCuIIough 14 found that 600 mg of naproxen is more effective than 65 mg of propoxyphene, Ruedy13 also found that 400 mg of naproxen was more effective than 325 mg of aspirin plus 30 mg of codeine in 63 dentaloutpatients . In 4 studies on the treatment of chronic rheumatoid arthritis (studies ranging from 4 wk duration to 2 yr), naproxen 250 mg two times daily was more effective than placebo in 38 patients 10,11 and as effective as aspirin, 3.6 gm daily, in 119 patients 5 for the relief of symptoms.…”