The efficacy of etoricoxib vs mefenamic acid in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea: A randomised comparative trial

Summary

Dysmenorrhoea is painful menstruation that occurs in 45–72% of all women. This was a prospective randomised study of the efficacy of etoricoxib (Arcoxia®) compared with mefenamic acid (Ponstan®) in treating primary dysmenorrhoea. All single, sexually inactive women with primary dysmenorrhoea were randomised into two groups (mefenamic acid and etoricoxib) of pain relief and underwent a cross-over study. The success of treatment as evidenced by pain relief, the side-effects and complications were observed and analysed. Some 80% (20 women) had significantly better pain relief with etoricoxib, compared with only 20 per cent in the mefenamic acid group (p = 0.007). Etoricoxib has significantly fewer side-effects compared with mefenamic acid (p = 0.005) with significantly reduced menstrual blood loss (p = 0.025). In conclusion, etoricoxib is a better treatment for primary dysmenorrhoea with better pain relief, less menstrual blood loss and fewer side-effects compared with mefenamic acid.

Keywords:

• Dysmenorrhoea
• analgesia
• etoricoxib
• mefenamic acid
• menorrhagia