In the first questions of our questionnaire we did not make the distinction between oral and topical preparations expressly clear,1 although the Dutch word for ‘painkiller’ was used, which would suggest an oral formulation. However, in later questions we explicitly asked participants about the number of tablets/capsules/sachets/suppositories used per day. The use of NSAID gel was not an option. This question was answered by all but one of the 35 OTC NSAID users in the general population, and all but one of the 33 OTC NSAID users in the high-risk sample. It is possible that these two participants failed to complete this question because they had used topical NSAIDs. Even if this were the case, the prevalence of OTC NSAID use would still be 29% in the general population and 12% in the high-risk sample.
With regards to the types of NSAIDs used by the participants,1 these are reported in the results section of our paper: 54% concerned ibuprofen, 28% high-dose acetylsalicylic acid, 9% diclofenac, and 9% naproxen. In the high-risk sample, these percentages were: 53% high-dosed acetylsalicylic acid, 29% ibuprofen, 11% diclofenac, and 8% naproxen.
Those interested may contact the corresponding author directly, as we are happy to supply a copy of the original questionnaire and a translation into English.
- © British Journal of General Practice 2014
REFERENCE
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