Are topical or oral Ibuprofen equally effective for the treatment of chronic knee pain in older people (Topical or Oral Ibuprofen TOIB)

Underwood M, Ashby D, Carnes D, Castelnuovo E, Cross P, Harding G, Hennessy E, Letley L, Martin J, Mt-Isa S, Parsons S, Spencer A, Vickers M, Whyte K
Record ID 32003000266
English
Authors' objectives:

To determine whether GPs should advise their older patients with chronic knee pain to use topical or oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Authors' recommendations: Advice to use either oral or topical preparations has an equivalent effect on knee pain, but oral NSAIDs appear to produce more minor adverse effects than topical NSAIDs. Generally, these results support advising older people with knee pain to use topical rather than oral NSAIDS. However, for patients who prefer oral NSAID preparations rather than atopical NSAID, particularly those with more widespread or severe pain, the oral route is a reasonable treatment option, provided that patients are aware of the risks of potentially serious adverse effects from oral medication. Further research is needed into strategies to change prescribing behaviour and ensure that older patients are aware of the potential risks and benefits of using NSAIDs. Observational studies are needed to estimate rates of different predefined minor adverse effects associated with the use of oral NSAIDs in older people as are long-term studies of topical NSAIDs in those for whom oral NSAIDs are not appropriate.
Details
Project Status: Completed
URL for project: http://www.hta.ac.uk/1302
Year Published: 2008
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: England, United Kingdom
MeSH Terms
  • Aged
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Ibuprofen
  • Knee
  • Chronic Pain
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Knee Joint
  • Pain
Contact
Organisation Name: NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme
Contact Address: NIHR Journals Library, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre, Alpha House, University of Southampton Science Park, Southampton SO16 7NS, UK
Contact Name: journals.library@nihr.ac.uk
Contact Email: journals.library@nihr.ac.uk
Copyright: 2009 Queen's Printer and Controller of HMSO
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.