Efficacy and tolerability of intravenous tropisetron in the treatment of fibromyalgia.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the efficacy of a serotonin receptor (5-HT(3)) antagonist in the treatment of fibromyalgia (FM) in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial.

METHODS:

Twenty-one female patients (age 21-63 years) with FM according to the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for FM were assigned randomly to either a placebo group or to receive a daily intravenous bolus injection of 5 mg tropisetron for 5 days.

RESULTS:

In patients receiving tropisetron, the visual analogue scale (VAS) score for pain decreased by 28.9 compared with a decrease of 6.8 in the placebo group [probability (p)=0.063; effect size: 0.794]. Similar results were obtained using a body diagram pain score as a secondary efficacy parameter: mean pain reduction was 27.2 in the tropisetron group, versus 2.8 in the placebo group (p=0.038; effect size: 0.902).

CONCLUSION:

5-HT(3) receptor antagonists provide significant pain relief for a group of FM patients.

• Authors: M Späth, T Stratz, G Neeck, I Kötter, B Hammel, C C Amberger, U Haus, L Färber, D Pongratz, W Müller
• Journal: Scandinavian journal of rheumatology (Scand J Rheumatol) Vol. 33 Issue 4 Pg. 267-70 ( 2004) ISSN: 0300-9742 [Print] England
• PMID: 15370724 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Indoles
• Placebos
• Serotonin Antagonists
• Tropisetron

Topics

• Adult
• Double-Blind Method
• Female
• Fibromyalgia (drug therapy)
• Humans
• Indoles (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Middle Aged
• Pain (drug therapy, etiology)
• Placebos
• Serotonin Antagonists (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Tropisetron