Comparison of the efficacy of naproxen sodium and dihydrocodeine tartrate in the treatment of post-operative pain.

A single-blind, parallel study was carried out in 54 patients with post-operative pain after minor orthopaedic procedures to compare the efficacy and tolerance of naproxen sodium and dihydrocodeine tartrate. Patients were allocated at random to receive oral treatment as soon as analgesia became necessary with an initial dose of either 550 mg naproxen sodium or 30 mg dihydrocodeine tartrate, then doses of 275 mg and 30 mg, respectively, when required up to a maximum of 5 doses per day for 3 days. Assessments were made of pain severity and pain relief 2 and 4 hours after the first dose and at the end of each day. The results indicated that naproxen sodium gave statistically significantly greater pain relief than dihydrocodeine tartrate after the first dose. Both treatments were well tolerated and few side-effects were reported. Three patients in each group were withdrawn due to lack of efficacy (combined with adverse effects in 1 naproxen sodium patient), and 1 patient in each group was withdrawn because of side-effects.