Ibuprofen More Effective In Treating Musculoskeletal Pain In Children, Study Says

According to the study, visits to the emergency department for musculoskeletal pain in children are very common.  They can also be very painful.  Despite this, adequate pain medication is often not provided to these young patients.

The research team, which included Emergency Physician Dr. Amy Plint, found that ibuprofen provided better and more efficient pain relief than acetaminophen or codeine for children brought in to the emergency department with acute musculoskeletal injuries. 

Between May 2003 and January 2003, researchers working on “A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, and Codeine for Acute Pain Relief in Children With Musculoskeletal Trauma,” evaluated 300 children (6 to 17 years) who came to CHEO’s emergency department with pain from an injury (to extremities, neck and back) who were randomly assigned to receive orally acetaminophen, ibuprofen or codeine. 

Patients who received ibuprofen experienced greater pain relief 60 minutes after receiving the dose than the other two medications.  In addition, patients taking ibuprofen did not need to take additional doses, where as patients taking acetaminophen or codeine did need additional doses in order to achieve adequate pain relief.

Established in 1984, the CHEO Research Institute coordinates the research activities of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and is one of the institutes associated with the University of Ottawa. The Research Institute brings together over 200 health professionals to share their efforts in solving pediatric health problems. It also promotes collaborative research with the University of Ottawa as well as industry and the international scientific world.