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. 2011 Feb 21;2011:0813.
Ref (type) Population Outcome, Interventions Results and statistical analysis Effect size Favours
Pain

Systematic review
73 women
Data from 1 RCT
Pain intensity (assessed by visual analogue scale, scale not defined)
3.17 with mefenamic acid (500 mg three times daily)
2.94 with tolfenamic acid (200 mg three times daily)

WMD +0.23
95% CI –0.64 to +1.10
Not significant

Systematic review
304 women
Data from 1 RCT
Proportion of women with pain relief
125/155 (81%) with diclofenac (50 mg up to 3 times daily as required)
128/149 (86%) with nimesulide (100 mg up to 3 times daily as required)

OR 0.69
95% CI 0.38 to 1.25
Not significant

Systematic review
81 women
Data from 1 RCT
Proportion of women with pain relief
14/40 (35%) with ibuprofen (up to a maximum daily dose of 1200 mg)
20/41 (49%) with naproxen sodium (up to a maximum daily dose of 660 mg)

OR 0.57
95% CI 0.23 to 1.38
Not significant

RCT
Crossover design
5-armed trial
104 women with primary dysmenorrhoea Time to pain relief
56 minutes with ibuprofen arginate 400 mg
90 minutes with conventional ibuprofen 200 mg

P <0.05
Effect size not calculated ibuprofen arginate 400 mg

RCT
Crossover design
5-armed trial
104 women with primary dysmenorrhoea Time to pain relief
56 minutes with ibuprofen arginate 400 mg
86 minutes with conventional ibuprofen 400 mg

P <0.05
Effect size not calculated ibuprofen arginate 400 mg

RCT
Crossover design
5-armed trial
104 women with primary dysmenorrhoea Time to remedication
with ibuprofen arginate 200 mg or 400 mg
with conventional ibuprofen 200 mg or 400 mg
Absolute results not reported

Reported no significant difference between all active treatments (P >0.05)
Not significant

RCT
Crossover design
3-armed trial
73 women with moderate to severe primary dysmenorrhoea Pain, assessed by mean TOTPAR-8 score over 8 hours
20.0 units with etoricoxib (120 mg, taken at the onset of painful menses)
21.5 units with naproxen sodium (550 mg, taken at the onset of painful menses)

P = 0.33
Not significant

RCT
3-armed trial
337 women with primary dysmenorrhoea Proportion of women who rated treatment as good over 3 to 5 days and 3 menstrual cycles
43/100 (43%) with meloxicam 7.5 mg daily
44/104 (42%) with meloxicam 15 mg daily
37/104 (35%) with mefenamic acid (500 mg three times daily)

P value for all groups v each other reported as not significant
Not significant