Analgesic efficacy of single oral doses of lumiracoxib and ibuprofen in patients with postoperative dental pain

This randomised, double-blind study compared single dose lumiracoxib (a cyclooxygenase-2 selective inhibitor) 100 and 400 mg, ibuprofen 400 mg and placebo in patients with postoperative dental pain over 12 h. The primary efficacy variable was pain intensity difference. Lumiracoxib 400 mg and ibuprofen were superior to placebo from 1 to 12 h post dose while lumiracoxib 100 mg was superior from 1.5 to 9 h. Lumiracoxib 400 mg demonstrated the fastest median time to onset of analgesia (37.4 min) followed by ibuprofen (41.5), and lumiracoxib 100 mg (52.4; all p less than or equal to 0.001 vs. placebo). Median time to rescue medication (h) was longer for lumiracoxib 400 mg (greater than or equal to12), lumiracoxib 100 mg (similar to7) and ibuprofen (similar to8) than placebo (similar to2; all p less than or equal to 0.001 vs. placebo). Patients rated lumiracoxib 400 mg superior to the other active treatments (p < 0.05); lumiracoxib 100 mg was comparable with ibuprofen and superior to placebo (p < 0.001). Lumiracoxib provided rapid, effective and well-tolerated analgesia. (C) 2004 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.