[The efficacy of injectable flurbiprofen in the symptomatic treatment of biliary colic].

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the efficacy of flurbiprofen (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) in the treatment of biliary colic pain as compared with the drugs commonly used (analgesics and/or spasmolytics).

METHODS

Eighty-four patients aged between 21 and 86 affected by intense pain of simple hepatic colic participated in the study. Following a single intramuscular dose of 150 mg of flurbiprofen (FRI, n = 30), 20 mg of N-hyoscine butylbromide (HBB, n = 25) or 30 mg of pentazocine (PTZ, n = 29) the patients were observed during the 6 hours after administration.

RESULTS

The evolution of the pain was significantly better in the patients treated with FRI with differences being detected between the three drugs after 30 minutes of administration. A greater number of adverse reactions were seen among the patients who received PTZ with the differences being statistically significant with the other 2 treatments (p less than 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Intramuscular flurbiprofen was more effective and generally better tolerated than pentozocine and hyoscine butylbromide.