Analgesic Efficacy Of Etoricoxib And Ketorolac Tromethamine For Retinal Laser Photocoagulation: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: To evaluate the analgesic effects of etoricoxib and ketorolac tromethamine for retinal laser photocoagulation in diabetic patients. Methods: A randomized, double masked study was performed. Thirty–nine patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy in both eyes were enrolled. After inclusion in the study, the patients were randomly assigned to 4 groups: Group A1 (10 patients) – patients received etoricoxib before a laser session (LS) in the first treated eye and placebo before a LS in the other eye; Group A2 (10 patients) – patients received placebo before a LS in the first treated eye and etoricoxib before a LS in the other eye; Group B1 (10 patients) – patients received ketorolac tromethamine before a LS in the first treated eye and placebo before a LS in the other eye; Group B2 (9 patients) – patients received placebo before a LS in the first treated eye and ketorolac tromethamine before a LS in the other eye. The LS in the second treated eyes were performed 2 days apart from the first treated eyes. The drugs were administered orally to the Groups A1 and A2 and sublingually to the Groups B1 and B2. Pain sensation was evaluated immediately after each LS with Scott’s visual analogue scale. Results: In Groups A1 and A2, the mean pain scores for etoricoxib were, respectively, 5.1 ± 3.1 and 5.0 ± 2.9 and for placebo were 5.1 ± 3.0 and 5.0 ± 3.1. In Groups B1 and B2, the mean pain scores for ketorolac tromethamine were, respectively, 4.3 ± 3.0 and 4.4 ± 2.6, and for placebo were 4.9 ± 3.5 and 3.3 ± 3.1. There were no statistically significant differences in pain scores between placebo and either etoricoxib (p=0.943) or ketorolac tromethamine (p=0.749). Conclusion: The analgesic effect of etoricoxib and ketorolac tromethamine is not different from placebo for retinal laser photocoagulation in diabetic patients.

Keywords: retina • laser • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: treatment/prevention assessment/controlled clinical trials