Double-blind evaluation of short-term analgesic efficacy of orally administered dexketoprofen trometamol and ketorolac in bone cancer pain

Abstract The analgesic efficacy and safety of dexketoprofen trometamol (the active enantiomer of the racemic compound ketoprofen) (25 mg q.i.d.) vs. ketorolac (10 mg q.i.d.) was assessed in 115 patients with bone cancer pain included in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel group study. A level of ≥40 mm on the 100 mm visual analog scale (VAS) and ≥10 in the pain rating index were required for inclusion. At the end of treatment on day 7 (+1 day), mean values of VAS were 32±24 mm for dexketoprofen and 40±30 mm for ketorolac ( P =0.12) but the pain rating index was significantly lower in patients given dexketoprofen (8.5±2.3 vs. 9.7±2.9, P =0.04). Moreover, most of the patients reached a pain intensity difference from baseline ≥20 mm (75% of patients for dexketoprofen and 65% of patients for ketorolac). Around half of patients in both treatments had a pain intensity