ABSTRACT
The analgesic efficacy of 200 mg ibuprofen plus 30 mg codeine, 200 mg ibuprofen and placebo was investigated in a new analgesic evaluation model using single- and repeated-dose administration. The study was a double-blind randomized cross-over investigation in 26 coxarthrosis patients with persistent pain. After a washout period of at least 2 days with paracetamol available as rescue analgesic, each of the 3 treatments was administered in a total of 6 doses during 24 h. The hourly pain intensity was recorded on a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) for 8 h after the 1st and the 6th dose. The pretreatment VAS score was 31-37 mm. After the 1st dose the 8-h mean pain intensity values were 25, 27, and 26 mm after ibuprofen plus codeine, ibuprofen, and placebo, respectively. Following another 5 doses every 4 h the corresponding values were 10, 17 and 29 mm. Repeated administration of both active drugs reduced the pain intensity significantly. The analgesic efficacy of ibuprofen plus codeine was significantly superior to that of ibuprofen which was, in turn, superior to that of placebo. In conclusion, analgesic efficacy was better differentiated after repeated-dose than after single-dose administration. The present study design was able to differentiate between 200 mg ibuprofen plus 30 mg codeine and 200 mg ibuprofen alone in a relatively small number of patients.
Subject(s)
Codeine/therapeutic use , Ibuprofen/therapeutic use , Osteoarthritis, Hip/drug therapy , Palliative Care , Adult , Aged , Codeine/administration & dosage , Codeine/adverse effects , Double-Blind Method , Drug Administration Schedule , Drug Combinations , Female , Humans , Ibuprofen/administration & dosage , Ibuprofen/adverse effects , Male , Middle Aged , Osteoarthritis, Hip/physiopathology , Pain/physiopathology , Pain Measurement , PlacebosABSTRACT
In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that pressure treatment before decompression reduces bubble formation. This has been interpreted as evidence that bubbles originate from pre-existing gas nuclei. The present experiments were conducted to determine if pressure treatment during air or liquid breathing before a 2-h air dive would reduce the decompression sickness (DCS) indicence for rats. Control dives, preceded by liquid breathing with 17 and 24 rats to 135- and 150-fsw had DCS incidences of 35% and 29%. Liquid-breathing pressure treatment at 1347 fsw before 135 fsw dive (11 rats) or at 1796 fsw before the 150-fsw dive (24 rats) reduced the incidences to 0% and 8%. In the air-breathing experiments, a 240-fsw control dive with 200 rats gave an 83% incidence. Pressure treatment at 600 fsw (195 rats) or 100 fsw (153 rats) reduced the DCS incidence to 74% and 64%. These experiments suggest that the bubbles responsible for DCS in the rat originate from gas nuclei.
Subject(s)
Atmospheric Pressure , Decompression Sickness/etiology , Gases , Models, Biological , Air , Animals , Decompression Sickness/prevention & control , Fluorocarbons , Male , Rats , RespirationABSTRACT
Decompression sickness and arterial air embolism which follow exposure to raised environmental pressures of compressed air are usually adequately treated by accepted recompression procedures of relatively short durations. With serious cases, however, conventional treatment may not allow sufficient time at depth for the complete resolution of manifestations because of the need to avoid pulmonary oxygen toxicity which is associated with a prolonged period of breathing compressed air. Treatment by nitrogen-oxygen saturation at a pressure equivalent of 30 m (100 ft) sea water is proposed. Based upon the success of three refractory cases treated by this procedure, recommendation are made for the conversion of standard compressed-air chambers into an emergency saturation mode for therapy.
