Clinical features and treatment outcomes of 74 patients with neuropathic pain

Abstract

Objective To investigate the clinical features and treatment outcomes of patients with neuropathic pain.Methods We analyzed the relationship between treatment outcomes and clinical characteristics,such as clinical type,duration and age,in 74 patients with neuropathic pain,admitted to our hospital from February 2012 to December 2012.The efficacy and incidence of adverse effects of patients used gabapentin and pregabalin were evaluated three weeks after treatment.Results Among the 74 patients with neuropathic pain,patients with peripheral neuropathic pain (n=60,81.1％)was much more than those of central neuropathic pain (n=12,16.2％),and the cure rate was significantly higher in the patients with peripheral neuropathic pain (31.7％ vs.0％; x2=5.162,P=0.028).The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores in pain (2.21±1.55 points) after 3 weeks treatment was significantly decreased as compared with those in the baseline period (6.38±1.14 points,t=18.644,P=0.000).Sleep and mood disorders after treatment were significantly improved as compared with those of baseline (P＜0.05).The efficacy of pregabalin-treated patients was more pronounced than that of gabapentin-treated group with significant difference (P＜0.05).Only nine patients (12.1％) presented with transient dizziness,fatigue,peripheral edema and other adverse reactions.Conclusion As compared with the central neuropathic pain,peripheral neuropathic pain is more common and its cure rate is relatively high; early standard treatments not only contribute to the patient' s recovery but also improve quality of life. Key words: Neuropathic pain; Postherpetic neuralgia; Pregabalin