A Double-Blind Evaluation of an Aspirin-Containing Gum Tablet for Relief of the Pain of Common Sore Throat

Abstract

Twenty subjects with painful sore throat and evidence of pharyngitis on physical examination were treated with aspirin in a gum vehicle and identical-appearing and flavoured placebo tablets in a double-blind cross-over design study. Subjects were divided into two equal groups and then followed two protocols that differed only in the time required between the two chewings of study medication. Results were similar for the two groups. For both groups significant differences in favour of the aspirin chewing gum were demonstrated for the time required for relief of sore throat pain and the amount of relief afforded by the study medication. Additionally, a highly significant number of the subjects expressed a preference for the relief provided by the aspirin-containing tablet as compared to placebo (eighteen out of twenty expressed preference for the aspirin-containing gum). These results have demonstrated that the aspirin-containing gum tablet is effective and fast-acting therapy for the temporary relief of occasional sore throat.