Topical or oral ibuprofen for chronic knee pain in older people. The TOIB study

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 32008100027
English
Authors' objectives:

The objective of the study was to determine whether GPs should advise their older patients with chronic knee pain to use topical or oral NSAIDs.

Authors' recommendations: ConclusionsAdvice 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 a topical 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. Implications for healthcareThe evidence suggests that advice to use topical NSAIDs in preference to oral NSAIDs for treating knee pain in older people may be appropriate.
Authors' methods: Primary research
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
  • Administration, Oral
  • Administration, Topical
  • Aged
  • Knee Joint
  • Analgesics, Non-Narcotic
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • 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.