Effect of Valdecoxib Pretreatment on Pain and Secondary Hyperalgesia in Healthy Volunteers

Tis study was designed to test the hypothesis that pretreatment with valdecoxib, prior to injury could reduce or prevent the development of secondary hyperalgesia around the area of primary injury. A heat/capsaicin model of induced hyperalgesia was tested in healthy volunteers in a randomized, double blind, cross-over trial of a single dose of 40 mg vadecoxib versus control. Subjects rated pain intesnsity and unpleasantness following heat stimulation of the forearm, the area of hyperalgesia was also mapped over the course of the experiment.