Efficacy of aceclofenac and diclofenac sodium for relief of postoperative pain after third molar surgery: A randomised open label comparative study

This study was conducted among fifty patients, aged from 18‑60 years, who require surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars. Patients with blood dyscrasias, with peptic ulcer, pregnant women, patients who had NSAID in the previous 24 h, hypersensitivity to any of the drugs used in this study, surgical time in excess of 45 minutes, patients failure to comply with the prescribed medication were excluded from the study. The patients were randomized into two groups; to receive aceclofenac 100 mg twice daily and diclofenac sodium 50 mg eighth hourly. The patients likewise received the questionnaires to be completed in the course of the 24 hours. Each patient evaluated his or her pain symptoms at specified time points (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 24 h. after administration of the study drug.) and recorded them using established rating scales (category grading scale). In addition, adverse effects of the drugs were noted in all cases. Pain intensity was recorded on a four‑point scale (0 = none to 3 = severe) at base line and at the same specified times following the administration of a single dose of the study drug. Pain relief was recorded on a five‑point scale (0 = none to 4 = complete) at the same post dose time points. In addition, patients rated the study drug using a five‑point global evaluation scale (0 = poor to 4 = excellent) at specified post dose time points. Total pain relief over eight hours (TOPAR8), calculated by multiplying the pain relief score at each post‑dose time point by the duration (in hours) since the preceding time point and then summing these values (up to eight hours). Pain intensity difference (PID), calculated as the baseline pain intensity score minus the pain intensity score at each post dose time point. Summed PID over eight hours (SPID8), calculated by multiplying the PID score at each post dose time point by the duration (in hours) since the preceding time point and then summing these values (up to eight hours).