The 2007 Oxford league table of analgesic efficacy

Numbers needed to treat are calculated for the proportion of patients with at least 50% pain relief over 4-6 hours
compared with placebo in randomised, double-blind, single-dose studies in patients with moderate to severe pain. Drugs
were oral, unless specified, and doses are milligrams. Shaded rows are intramuscular administration
Analgesic
Etoricoxib 180/240
Etoricoxib 120
Valdecoxib 40
Dipyrone 1000
Ibuprofen 600/800
Valdecoxib 20
Ketorolac 20
Ketorolac 60 (intramuscular)
Diclofenac 100
Piroxicam 40
Celecoxib 400
Paracetamol 1000 + Codeine 60
Oxycodone IR 5 + Paracetamol 500
Bromfenac 25
Rofecoxib 50
Oxycodone IR 15
Aspirin 1200
Bromfenac 50
Dipyrone 500
Ibuprofen 400
Bromfenac 100
Oxycodone IR 10 + Paracetamol 650
Diclofenac 25
Ketorolac 10
Paracetamol 650 + tramadol 75
Oxycodone IR 10+Paracetamol 1000
Naproxen 400/440
Piroxicam 20
Lumiracoxib 400
Naproxen 500/550
Diclofenac 50
Ibuprofen 200
Dextropropoxyphene 130
Paracetamol 650 + tramadol 112
Bromfenac 10
Pethidine 100 (intramuscular)
Tramadol 150
Morphine 10 (intramuscular)
Naproxen 200/220
Ketorolac 30 (intramuscular)
Paracetamol 500
Celecoxib 200
Paracetamol 1500
Ibuprofen 100
Oxycodone IR 5 + Paracetamol 1000
Paracetamol 1000
Paracetamol 600/650 + Codeine 60
Paracetamol 650 + Dextropropoxyphene (65 mg
hydrochloride or 100 mg napsylate)
Aspirin 600/650
Paracetamol 600/650
Ibuprofen 50
Tramadol 100
Tramadol 75
Aspirin 650 + Codeine 60
Oxycodone IR 5 + Paracetamol 325
Ketorolac 10 (intramuscular)
Paracetamol 300 + Codeine 30
Bromfenac 5
Tramadol 50
Codeine 60
Placebo

Number of
patients in
comparison

Percent with at
least 50% pain
relief

NNT

Lower
Higher
confidence confidence
interval
interval

248
500
473
113
165
204
69
116
545
30
298
197
150
370
675
60
279
247
288
5456
95
315
502
790
679
83
197
280
370
784
1296
3248
50
201
223
364
561
946
202
359
561
805
138
495
78
2759
1123

77
70
73
79
86
68
57
56
69
80
52
57
60
51
54
73
61
53
73
55
62
66
53
50
43
67
51
63
48
52
57
48
40
60
39
54
48
50
45
53
61
40
65
36
55
46
42

1.5
1.6
1.6
1.6
1.7
1.7
1.8
1.8
1.8
1.9
2.1
2.2
2.2
2.2
2.3
2.3
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.6
2.6
2.6
2.6
2.7
2.7
2.7
2.7
2.7
2.7
2.7
2.8
2.8
2.9
2.9
2.9
2.9
3.4
3.4
3.5
3.5
3.7
3.7
3.8
3.8
4.2

1.3
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.4
1.4
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.2
1.8
1.7
1.7
1.9
2.0
1.5
1.9
2.0
1.9
2.4
1.8
2.0
2.2
2.3
2.3
1.7
2.1
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
1.8
2.1
2.3
2.3
2.4
2.6
2.4
2.5
2.2
2.9
2.3
2.9
2.1
3.4
3.4

1.7
1.8
1.8
2.2
2.3
2.0
2.5
2.3
2.1
4.3
2.5
2.9
3.2
2.6
2.6
4.9
3.2
3.3
3.2
2.7
4.9
3.5
3.3
3.1
3.0
5.6
4.0
3.8
3.5
3.3
3.1
2.9
6.5
4.4
4.0
3.9
3.6
3.6
5.8
4.9
13.3
4.4
9.5
4.9
20.0
4.4
5.3

963

38

4.4

3.5

5.6

5061
1886
316
882
563
598
149
142
379
138
770
1305

38
38
32
30
32
25
24
48
26
20
19
15

4.4
4.6
4.7
4.8
5.3
5.3
5.5
5.7
5.7
7.1
8.3
16.7

4.0
3.9
3.3
3.8
3.9
4.1
3.4
3.0
4.0
3.9
6.0
11.0

4.9
5.5
8.0
6.1
8.2
7.4
14.0
53.0
9.8
28.0
13.0
48.0

>10,000

18

N/A

N/A

N/A