The relief of primary dysmenorrhea by ketoprofen and indomethacin

The prostaglandin biosynthesis inhibitors ketoprofen and indomethacin were compared in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea in a double-blind, cross-over trial involving 23 patients. Each drug was used for 2–4 days during 3 consecutive menstruations in randomized order. Good or moderate overall relief was obtained in 60 of the 68 ketoprofen-treated menstruations (88 %) and in 60 of the indomethacin-treated cases (90 %). A dysmenorrhea score, based on subjective estimations of 8 symptoms, similarly decreased from a mean (±S.E.M.) basal level of 9.6 ± 0.6 to 3.6 ± 0.3 during ketoprofen treatment and to 4.0 ± 0.3 during indomethacin. Both drugs relieved pelvic and lower back pains and eliminated vomiting and diarrhea in 82–97 % of the cycles whereas headache, fatigue and nervousness were less frequently alleviated (40–67 %). Eighteen of the 23 women (78 %) had been unable to work during the first day of menstruation, the rate of working days lost was reduced to 4 % with ketoprofen and 9 with indomethacin. Mild side-effects occurred during 12 ketoprofen and 14 indomethacin therapies. Ketoprofen thus seems to be as effective and tolerable as indomethacin in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea.