Comparing the effects of transcuataneous electrical nerve stimulation and fluoxetine on central pain in patients with spinal cord injury

Abstract

Objective To compare the effects of fluoxetine and transcuataneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on central pain after spinal cord injury (SCI) using a sham-controlled crossover method.Methods Ele-ven patients with central pain after SCI were randomly divided into two groups which were then subject to 2 phases of treatment.Patients in group 1 were treated by oral intake of fluoexetine for 4 weeks followed by TENS treatment for 4 weeks.Those in group 2 were treated in the reverse sequence.A fifteen day washout period was arranged between the two phases of treatment.The short-form McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ) and the Beck depression inventory (BDI) were used to assess all patients pre-and post-treatment.Results SF-MPQ scores were reduced significantly after either fluoexetine or TENS treatment.After each phase of treatment there was no significant difference between the two groups.Significant improvement in terms of BDI scores was found with fluoxetin treatment in both phases of the trial,but not with TENS treatment.Conclusions Both fluoxetine and TENS can alleviate central pain after SCI,and fluoxetine can relief patients' depression at the same time. Key words: Central pain; Spinal cord injury; Fluoxetin; Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation