Table 2.
Controlled trials of oral tramadol in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain
| Study | Type of pain | Study design | N | Duration | Analgesic drug | Dosage (mg/day) | Analgesic efficacy | Adverse events |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adler et al 2002 | Osteoarthritis | db | 279 | 1 mo | SR tramadol | 150-400 | SR-T = IR-T | SR-T = IR-T |
| IR tramadol | 150-400 | |||||||
| Bird et al 1995 | Osteoarthritis | db, co | 40 | 2 × 2 wk | IR tramadol | 200 | T >PE | T < PE |
| Gorol 1983 | Chronic | db | 94 | 1 wk | IR tramadol | prn | T >TI/N | NR |
| Tilidine/naloxone | prn | |||||||
| Jensen and Ginsberg 1994 | Osteoarthritis | db, co | 264 | 2 wk | IR tramadol | 300 | T >D | T > D |
| Pavelka et al 1998 | Osteoarthritis | db | 60 | 2 × 4 wk | IR tramadol | 164 | T = DI | T = DI |
| Diclofenac | 97 | |||||||
| Rauck et al 1994 | Chronic | db | 990 | 4 wk | IR tramadol | 244 | ||
| Paracetamol/codeine | 1407/140 | T = P/C | T = P/C | |||||
| Roth 1998 | Osteoarthritis | db | 63 | 13 d | IR tramadol + NSAID | 250 | T >PL | NR |
| Placebo + NSAID | ||||||||
| Schnitzer et al 2000 | Low back | db | 254 | 4 wk | IR tramadol | 200-400 | T >PL | T > PL |
| Placebo | ||||||||
| Silverfield et al 2002 | Osteoarthritis | db | 308 | 10 d | IR tramadol/paracetamol + NSAID | 150-300/1300-2600 | T/P >PL | T/P > PL |
| Sorge and Stadler 1997 | Low back | db | 205 | 3 wk | SR tramadol | 200 | SR-T = IR-T | SR-T = IR-T |
| Wilder-Smith et al 2001 | Osteoarthritis | db | 60 | 1 mo | SR tramadol | 200 | T >DC | T >DC |
| IR tramadol | 200 | |||||||
| SR dihydrocodeine | 200 |
Abbreviations C, codeine; co, crossover; d, days; D, dextropropoxyphene; db, double-blind; DC, dihydrocodeine; DI, diclofenac; IR, immediate release; mo, months; N, naloxone; NR, not reported; P, paracetamol; PE, pentazocine; PL, placebo; prn, as needed; SR, sustained-release; T, tramadol; TI, tilidine; wk,weeks; > indicates superior to; = indicates equivalent to; < indicates inferior to.