Conventional and extended-release etodolac for postsurgical dental pain

This double-masked, parallel-group, randomized study compared the analgesic efficacy and tolerability of a single investigational 1200-mg dose of extended-release etodolac with those of a single 400-mg dose of extended-release etodolac and twice-daily doses of conventional etodolac 200 and 400 mg and placebo given 8 hours apart in 237 patients with moderate or severe postoperative pain following surgical removal of > or = 2 impacted third molars. Both doses of conventional etodolac and the 1200-mg dose of extended-release etodolac were significantly more effective on all summary analgesic measures than placebo (P < 0.05). Conventional etodolac had an onset of analgesic activity within 45 (400 mg) to 60 (200 mg) minutes and an analgesic duration of 5 to 6 hours. Extended-release etodolac 1200 mg had an onset of action within 60 minutes and an analgesic duration of 12 to 24 hours. At hours 2 and 3, conventional etodolac 400 mg was significantly more effective than the other treatments; from hours 6 through 12, extended-release etodolac 1200 mg was significantly more effective than the other treatments (both, P < 0.05). No serious adverse events were observed in this study, with an incidence of side effects in the active etodolac groups no different than that with placebo. Extended-release etodolac 1200 mg has a prolonged analgesic duration and an acceptable side-effect profile in the oral surgery pain model.