The capsaicin 8% patch for neuropathic pain in clinical practice: a retrospective analysis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the response of patients with peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP) to capsaicin 8% patch treatment in a clinical setting.

DESIGN:

Retrospective analysis.

SETTING:

The Clinic for Pain Therapy and Palliative Medicine at the Medical Centre for the region of Aachen, Germany.

SUBJECTS:

Patients diagnosed with PNP who attended the clinic for capsaicin 8% patch treatment between January 13, 2010 and February 7, 2011.

OUTCOME MEASURES:

Pain intensity was assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) at baseline and following each capsaicin 8% patch treatment. Changes in prescribed concomitant neuropathic pain (NP) medications and response duration were recorded.

RESULTS:

Overall, 68 patients with PNP conditions, including facial neuropathy (severe trigeminal neuralgia in V2), polyneuropathy, post-herpetic neuralgia, and mononeuropathies, received 96 treatments with the capsaicin 8% patch. The 53 patients with a follow-up of ≥8 weeks demonstrated a 48.4% mean reduction in NPRS score from baseline to Weeks 1-8. Among the 37 responders (those exhibiting ≥30% reduction in NPRS score from baseline to Weeks 1-8), the median time to re-treatment was 125 days. Following treatment, there was a significant (P < 0.001) 54% reduction in the mean number of prescribed concomitant NP medications taken by patients.

CONCLUSIONS:

This analysis demonstrates that in clinical practice, the capsaicin 8% patch provides rapid and sustained pain reductions in patients with a variety of PNP conditions and a significant reduction in prescribed concomitant NP medications. The capsaicin 8% patch can be a valuable addition to the NP treatment armory for certain patients.

• Authors: Till Wagner, Chris Poole, Andrea Roth-Daniek
• Journal: Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.) (Pain Med) Vol. 14 Issue 8 Pg. 1202-11 (Aug 2013) ISSN: 1526-4637 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23710678 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chemical References

• Sensory System Agents
• Capsaicin

Topics

• Capsaicin (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (drug therapy)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neuralgia (drug therapy)
• Neuralgia, Postherpetic (drug therapy)
• Pain Management (methods)
• Pain Measurement
• Radiculopathy (therapy)
• Retrospective Studies
• Sensory System Agents (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Transdermal Patch
• Treatment Outcome
• Trigeminal Neuralgia (drug therapy)