Safety profile
Diclofenac has a similar range of side effects to
ibuprofen (Standing et al, 2009, Paediatric formulary
Committee 2010). A meta-analysis of 380 children
suggests that diclofenac is generally well-tolerated
(Standing et al 2009) Non-serious adverse events
include rash, minor central nervous system disturbance,
rectal irritation with suppositories and diarrhoea. In
this study no serious adverse events occurred; however,
numbers were small and therefore less likely to pick up
rare events. The authors suggested that the incidence
of severe reactions to diclofenac is likely to be