The analgesic efficacy of suprofen in periodontal and oral surgical pain.

Suprofen is a new, orally effective nonsteroidal antiinflammatory analgesic of the propionic acid chemical class. Three separate single-dose studies were performed to evaluate the efficacy of suprofen in acute pain associated with periodontal surgery and removal of impacted third molars. Study medications were: A--suprofen 200 mg, codeine 60 mg, propoxyphene HCl 65 mg, and placebo; B--suprofen 400 mg and 200 mg, aspirin 650 mg, and placebo; C--suprofen 400 mg and 200 mg, aspirin 650 mg with codeine 60 mg, aspirin 650 mg alone, and placebo. Analgesic and side effect data were collected over a 6-hour period after patients medicated for moderate to severe pain. All studies were randomized, double-blinded, and parallel-group in design. Suprofen was significantly more effective than codeine 60 mg, propoxyphene HCl 65 mg, and aspirin 650 mg. Suprofen 400 mg appeared to be clinically more effective than the aspirin-codeine combination and the difference was statistically significant for most of the analgesic variables. Of the 224 patients who received suprofen in the 3 studies, 16 reported drowsiness and 1 reported constipation.