Thirty subjects with chronic moderate to severe
pain who were receiving
oxycodone/acetaminophen (oxy/
APAP) for
analgesia were initially evaluated for at least 7 days for oxy/
APAP requirements for
pain control. Each subject then received, in a randomized double-blind fashion, either 600 mg
ibuprofen or placebo for an additional 7 days while hospitalized. Oxy/
APAP usage was recorded daily along with efficacy and toxicity parameters. Overall global evaluations were also recorded on completion of the study. Comparison of mean differences before and
after treatment with
ibuprofen or placebo indicated a marked decrease in oxy/
APAP use with
ibuprofen (p less than 0.01) and a slight increase in use in the placebo group. Reduction in oxy/
APAP usage occurred within 24 hours and maximized at 5 days. Overall global scores showed a marked preference for the
ibuprofen combination over placebo (p less than 0.01). Daily
pain intensity (p less than 0.05) and
pain relief scores (p less than 0.05) also improved with the addition of
ibuprofen. This study indicates that
ibuprofen is efficacious in the management of chronic
cancer pain, resulting in both enhanced
analgesia and a reduction in concomitant
narcotic use.