Pain relief during and following outpatient curettage and hysterosalpingography: a double blind study to compare the efficacy and safety of tramadol versus naproxen. Cobra Research Group

• Published in: European journal of obstetrics & gynecology and reproductive biology 1996-05, Vol.66 (1), p.51
• Main Authors: Peters, A A, Witte, E H, Damen, A C, Holm, J P, Drogendijk, A C, vd Velde, E A, Trimbos, J B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Ambulatory Care - methods; Analgesics, Opioid - adverse effects; Analgesics, Opioid - therapeutic use; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - adverse effects; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use; Catecholamines - pharmacology; Curettage - adverse effects; Double-Blind Method; Hemodynamics - drug effects; Humans; Hysterosalpingography - adverse effects; Middle Aged; Naproxen - adverse effects; Naproxen - therapeutic use; Pain - drug therapy; Tramadol - adverse effects; Tramadol - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0301-2115

To compare the analgetic efficacy and side-effects of Naproxen and Tramadol following the outpatient VABRA aspiration or hysterosalpingography. Ninety-one patients from the gynaecology clinics of two university hospitals and one municipal-teaching hospital. Multicentre double blind randomized clinical trial. Computerised randomisation, stratification per-centre. Semiquantitative assessment of the two drugs was performed by the patient and the gynaecologist using a 1- to 6-point scale. Pain, stress and well-being was scored by the patient using the visual analog scale (VAS) and the verbal description scale (VDS), ranging from 0 (good) to 100 (bad). Side-effects during the first 24 h postoperatively were recorded by the patient in a diary. The analgetic efficacy (pain, stress and well-being) of Naproxen and Tramadol was identical. Subjective assessment by the patient and the doctor also revealed no differences between Naproxen and Tramadol. Side-effects of Tramadol, however, were significantly more severe than those of Naproxen and this phenomenon was responsible for a lower ability to proceed with normal activities in the Tramadol group. Tramadol is a good alternative for Naproxen at outpatient VABRA or HSG procedures when Naproxen is contra-indicated.