Injectable ketoprofen vs. acetylsalicylic acid for the relief of severe cancer pain: a double-blind, crossover trial

Abstract

Thirty-six patients suffering from severe pain due to bone involvement from cancer participated in an analgesic study that compared single doses of ketoprofen 100 or 400 mg iv or injectable acetylsalicylic acid 1 g. A double-blind, balanced incomplete block design was adopted, in which each patient received two of the three test treatments, with an interval of 24 hours. Ketoprofen 400 mg proved significantly superior to 100 mg of the same drug, and was superior to 1 g of the acetylsalicylic acid derivative in the patients' assessment of the overall response. This was expressed by a visual analog scale and preferences. No adverse reaction was observed with any treatment.