Topical ketorolac has no antinociceptive or anti-inflammatory effect in thermal injury

• Published in: Burns Vol. 20; no. 6; pp. 483 - 486
• Main Authors: Møiniche, S., Pedersen, J.L., Kehlet, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.12.1994; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Administration, Topical; Adult; Analgesics, Non-Narcotic - administration & dosage; Analgesics, Non-Narcotic - therapeutic use; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - administration & dosage; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Blister - etiology; Blister - prevention & control; Burns - drug therapy; Burns - physiopathology; Double-Blind Method; Erythema - etiology; Erythema - prevention & control; Female; Humans; Hyperalgesia - etiology; Hyperalgesia - prevention & control; Ketorolac; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pain Measurement; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Skin, nail, hair, dermoskeleton; Time Factors; Tolmetin - administration & dosage; Tolmetin - analogs & derivatives; Tolmetin - therapeutic use; Treatment Failure; Non steroidal antiinflammatory agent; Burn; Human; Skin disease; Chemotherapy; Experimental disease; Analgesic; Treatment; Topical administration
• ISSN: 0305-4179; 1879-1409
• DOI: 10.1016/0305-4179(94)90001-9

This study investigated the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effect of a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug in human thermal injury. Twelve healthy unmedicated volunteers had identical burn injuries produced on the medial side of both calves with a 49°C 15 × 25 mm thermode. Ketorolac gel or placebo were randomly applied on the right or left calf 1.5 h before burn injury, immediately after burn injury and 6 and 12 h later in a double-blind trial where every subject served as his own control. Heat pain detection thresholds (HPDT), head pain tolerance (HPT), mechanical pain detection thresholds (MPDT) and the intensity of burn-induced erythema (erythema index, EI) were assessed in the area of the thermal injury, and areas of hyperalgesia to pin prick were determined outside the injury before and 3, 6 and 24 h after the burn injury. Burn injury led to a decrease in HPDT, HPT and MPDT, an increase in EI and development of mechanical hyperalgesia ( P < 0.05). Ketorolac gel had no effect on any of the nociceptive or inflammatory variables studies ( P > 0.2).