Poster 95: A 5% lidocaine patch significantly improves pain intensity and pain relief in the treatment of low back pain

Abstract

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a 5% lidocaine patch (Lidoderm), a targeted peripheral analgesic, in acute and chronic low back pain (CLBP) after 2 weeks of daily treatment. Design: Open-label, nonrandomized, 2-week, multicenter trial. Setting: Clinic. Participants: Men and women aged ≥18 years with nonradicular acute and subacute (<3mo: group 1; n=21), short-term chronic (3–12mo: group 2; n=33), and long-term (>12mo: group 3; n=77) CLBP, an average daily pain intensity score >4 (scale range, 0–10) within 24 hours prior to screening, and normal neurologic examination and clinical laboratory tests. Intervention: Patients applied up to 4 lidocaine patches every 24 hours to the area of maximal peripheral pain for 2 weeks and were maintained on their current analgesic regimen without dosage adjustment. Main Outcome Measures: Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results: In groups 1 and 3, patients treated with the lidocaine patch experienced statistically significant improvements in pain intensity ( P<.001) and pain relief ( P<.0001) as measured by the BPI. In group 2, significant improvements were observed for worst pain ( P<.001), and average pain and pain right now ( P<.05). Groups 1, 2, and 3 experienced statistically significant reductions in the BPI composite score for pain interference with quality of life scores ( P<.0001) and BDI score ( P<.01, P<.0001, P<.0001, respectively). There were no serious systemic adverse events or drug-drug interactions related to the lidocaine patch. Conclusions: Findings of this 2-week, open-label study suggest that the 5% lidocaine patch was well tolerated and effective in lowering pain intensity, improving pain relief, and lowering pain interference in patients with LBP. Further controlled trials are warranted.