Efficacy of Locally Applied Flurbiprofen in Sore Throat Treatment: A Scoping Review

Background and Objectives: Sore throat is a common symptom that, due to its heterogeneous etiology and diverse clinical presentation, poses challenges for both accurate diagnosis and etiological treatment, making symptomatic therapy essential. Our review aims to provide an overview of the literature on locally applied flurbiprofen in the treatment of sore throat of both infectious and non-infectious etiologies. Materials and Methods: The database PubMed was searched for studies evaluating the effect of flurbiprofen on sore throat in the last ten years (28 August 2025), and 15 studies were selected for the analysis based on the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. We analyzed the effect of flurbiprofen in acute pharyngitis on relief of pain, difficulty swallowing, throat swelling, the Qualities of Sore Throat Index, overall satisfaction scores and Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Questionnaire, stratified by single or multiple doses and concomitant antibiotics. Efficacy in postoperative sore throat treatment and safety profile were also analyzed. The results are demonstrated in tables and forest plots. Results: Topical flurbiprofen is shown to be effective in pain relief, relief of difficult swallowing and throat swelling in acute pharyngitis in both single and multiple doses, regardless of the formulations. The same effect is noted when analyzed by the Qualities of Sore Throat Index questionnaire and overall satisfaction scores. The data shows that flurbiprofen reduces related upper respiratory tract infection symptoms. It is also shown to be effective in reducing the incidence and severity of postoperative sore throat. No serious adverse effects were reported in the included studies. Conclusions: Topical flurbiprofen seems to be an effective and safe symptomatic treatment option for sore throat in both infectious and non-infectious etiologies.