The optimal treatment of musculoskeletal extremity pain in the ED not known. The study is a randomized controlled trial designed to compare the efficacy of five oral analgesics: 5 mg oxycodone + 325 mg acetaminophen, 5 mg hydrocodone + 300 mg acetaminophen, 30 mg codeine + 300 mg acetaminophen, 400 mg ibuprofen + 1000 mg acetaminophen, and 800 mg ibuprofen + 1000 mg acetaminophen for the treatment of patients with acute musculoskeletal pain. The primary outcome is the between treatment group difference in change in patients' rating of pain intensity one hour after ingestion of the study medication. Secondary outcomes include: 1) the between treatment group difference in change in patients' rating of pain intensity two hours after ingestion of the study medication; 2) difference in proportion of patients who receive rescue medication; 3) difference in proportion of patients who would choose to take the study medication again if they returned to the ED with similar pain; 4) difference in proportion of patients who experience side effects.
This study compares the efficacy of five oral analgesics: 5 mg oxycodone + 325 mg acetaminophen, 5 mg hydrocodone + 300 mg acetaminophen, 30 mg codeine + 300 mg acetaminophen, 400 mg ibuprofen + 1000 mg acetaminophen, and 800 mg ibuprofen + 1000 mg acetaminophen for the treatment of patients with acute musculoskeletal pain who present to the Emergency Department (ED).