Acute postoperative pain relief with immediate-release tapentadol: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted in South Korea

353 patients, in South Korea, undergoing a distal Chevron osteotomy for unilateral hallux valgus were randomized to receive either 50 mg or 75 mg of tapentadol immediate-release, or placebo treatment. The purpose of this study was to understand the clinical effects of the drug in Asian patients. Pain intensity and relief from pain were measured using various numerical rating scales at 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours along with clinical laboratory tests evaluated postoperatively. The results indicated that both tapentadol immediate-release 50mg and 75mg group experienced lower pain intensity and greater pain relief as compared to the placebo group. Patients treated with tapentadol at either dose more frequently experienced mild-moderate treatment-emergent adverse events, such as nausea, dizziness, and vomiting.