Assessment of the effect of ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-rheumatic drugs in experimental algesimetry
Handwerker, H.O.
Zeitschrift für Rheumatologie 50(Suppl 1): 15-18
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0340-1855 PMID: 1858439 Document Number: 377390
This paper describes an experimental method for the assessment of analgesic effects of NSAIDs in healthy human volunteers. Pain was induced by repeated controlled pinching of interdigital webs. The painfulness of the stimulus was assessed by the subjects at regular intervals on an electronically controlled visual analog scale. Furthermore, computer supported infrared thermography, laser Doppler flowmetry and photoplethysmography were used to measure the cutaneous vascular reactions. The results of two double-blind cross-over studies are described in which analgesic effects of acetylsalecylic acid, ibuprofen, and dipyrone were significantly demonstrated. In one of the studies it was also shown that ibuprofen reduced the local stimulus-induced vasodilatation. In summary, this algesimetric model seems to be suited to demonstrate the analgesic and perhaps also the antiinflammatory effects of NSAIDs in healthy subjects.