Current medical research and opinion
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There are contrasting positions concerning the benefit-risk ratio of acetaminophen use for osteoarthritis (OA)-related pain. To clarify the effectiveness of acetaminophen or acetaminophen-codeine combinations according to their regimen of use, we evaluated whether being a regular user (adherent) of these medications decreased the occurrence of rescue therapy with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). ⋯ These findings show that regular use of acetaminophen or acetaminophen-codeine combinations may reduce the need for NSAIDs to treat OA-related pain.