Mild analgesics evaluated with the “Submaximum Effort Tourniquet Technique”

Abstract

In a first study with the “Submaximum Effort Tourniquet Technique” mild analgesics were better discriminated from placebo by subjects, demonstrating a calm behavior in the test-situation than by individuals with prominent arousal reactions.

In the present study a tranquilizer-benzoctadiene-was given in order to induce relaxation, with the aim to enhance the subjects ability to discriminate analgesics from placebo.

The homogeneity of the variances (Bartlett-test) were between P 0.1 and 0.05. Therefore an analysis of variance and additionally a non-parametric test (Mann-Whitney U test) were done.

Pain tolerance times in the six groups (placebo, C-44′328-Ba, paracetamol, alone, or in combination with benzoctadiene) on the four pain-levels “slight”, “moderate”, “severe” and “unbearable” were not significantly different when compared by means of analysis of variance.

The comparison of the groups by means of the Mann-Whitney U test showed a) that the combination of the analgesics with benzoctadiene was more effective than either analgesic given alone on three, resp. one of the four pain-levels, b) that in the “Non Benzoctadiene Group” the analgesics were not differentiated from placebo, and c) that within the “Benzoctadiene Group” each analgesic was more effective than placebo on two pain-levels.