[Comparative, randomized, parallel clinical study of the effectiveness and safety of aceclofenac vs. paracetamol in the treatment of viral pharyngoamygdalitis].

The purpose of this open, controlled, and randomized study was to evaluate the effectiveness of aceclofenac compared with paracetamol in improving the signs and symptoms of viral pharyngoamygdalitis and to evaluate the safety of both drugs. Thirty outpatients (age range 18-65 years) with acute viral pharyngoamygdalitis received either aceclofenac 100 mg/12 h or paracetamol 650 mg/ 12 h per os. Patients were evaluated at baseline and on days 1, 3, and 7 after beginning treatment. The parameters of effectiveness evaluated were: severity of pharyngoamygdalitis, spontaneous pharyngeal pain, saliva swallowing, and duration of pharyngeal pain. The results showed that the aceclofenac group had a significant decrease in the severity of pharyngoamygdalitis and spontaneous pharyngeal pain after day 1 of treatment (p < 0.001), but the paracetamol group showed no improvement in these parameters until day 3 of treatment (p < 0.001). There were no adverse reactions in either group. Therefore, patients treated with aceclofenac showed an earlier improvement in the signs and symptoms of acute viral pharyngoamygdalitis than those treated with paracetamol.