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Table 1 The most recent systematic reviews of combined paracetamol and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) versus paracetamol or a NSAID alone in postoperative pain management, NNT Number Needed to Treat

From: PANSAID – PAracetamol and NSAID in combination: study protocol for a randomised trial

Study

Intervention

Number of patients

Surgery

Pain

Opioid

Adverse events

Derry 2013 [7]

Paracetamol and ibuprofen vs. ibuprofen

1647 (3 trials)

Extraction of at least 3 impacted third molars

Ibuprofen 200 mg and paracetamol 500 mg vs. placebo: NNT 1.6 (1.5–1.8) Ibuprofen 400 mg and paracetamol 1000 mg vs. placebo: NNT 1.5 (1.4–1.7) Ibuprofen 400 mg and paracetamol 1000 mg vs. ibuprofen 400 mg: NNT 5.4 (3.5–12.2)

Time to rescue medication: Ibuprofen 200 mg and paracetamol 500 mg: 7.6 h Ibuprofen 400 mg and paracetamol 1000 mg: 8.3 h Placebo: 1.7 h

No information

Ong 2010 [20]

Combinations of paracetamol and various NSAIDs vs. 1 of these drugs

1909 (21 trials)

Mixed surgical populations

Paracetamol and NSAID vs. paracetamol: 85% of studies showed that the combination had better analgesic properties than paracetamol alone Paracetamol and NSAID vs. NSAID: 64% of these studies showed that the combination had better analgesic properties than NSAID alone

Reduction in opioid consumption is not quantified in a combined measure

No systematic information