Therapeutic Safety and Efficacy of Gabapentin on Pain Intensity, Mood States, and Quality of Life of Patients with Neuropathic Pain: A Meta-Analysis of Placebo-Controlled Trials

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ebrahim Eini ◽  
Pooyan Alizadeh ◽  
Ali Delirrooyfard ◽  
Pardis Mohammadi Pour ◽  
Fakher Rahim
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidemarie Haller ◽  
Romy Lauche ◽  
Tobias Sundberg ◽  
Gustav Dobos ◽  
Holger Cramer

Abstract Objectives To systematically assess the evidence of Craniosacral Therapy (CST) for the treatment of chronic pain. Methods PubMed, Central, Scopus, PsycInfo and Cinahl were searched up to August 2018. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effects of CST in chronic pain patients were eligible. Standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for pain intensity and functional disability (primary outcomes) using Hedges’ correction for small samples. Secondary outcomes included physical/mental quality of life, global improvement, and safety. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool. Results Ten RCTs of 681 patients with neck and back pain, migraine, headache, fibromyalgia, epicondylitis, and pelvic girdle pain were included. CST showed greater post intervention effects on: pain intensity (SMD = -0.32, 95%CI = [− 0.61,-0.02]) and disability (SMD = -0.58, 95%CI = [− 0.92,-0.24]) compared to treatment as usual; on pain intensity (SMD = -0.63, 95%CI = [− 0.90,-0.37]) and disability (SMD = -0.54, 95%CI = [− 0.81,-0.28]) compared to manual/non-manual sham; and on pain intensity (SMD = -0.53, 95%CI = [− 0.89,-0.16]) and disability (SMD = -0.58, 95%CI = [− 0.95,-0.21]) compared to active manual treatments. At six months, CST showed greater effects on pain intensity (SMD = -0.59, 95%CI = [− 0.99,-0.19]) and disability (SMD = -0.53, 95%CI = [− 0.87,-0.19]) versus sham. Secondary outcomes were all significantly more improved in CST patients than in other groups, except for six-month mental quality of life versus sham. Sensitivity analyses revealed robust effects of CST against most risk of bias domains. Five of the 10 RCTs reported safety data. No serious adverse events occurred. Minor adverse events were equally distributed between the groups. Discussion In patients with chronic pain, this meta-analysis suggests significant and robust effects of CST on pain and function lasting up to six months. More RCTs strictly following CONSORT are needed to further corroborate the effects and safety of CST on chronic pain. Protocol registration at Prospero CRD42018111975.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rik S. van der Veen ◽  
Joseph J. Lee ◽  
Richard J. McManus ◽  
Richard F. D. Hobbs ◽  
Kamal R. Mahtani ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Polypharmacy is inevitable and appropriate for many conditions, but in some cases, it can be problematic resulting in an increased risk of harm and reduced quality of life. There has been an increasing interest to reduce cardioprotective medications in older adults to potentially reduce the risk of harm due to treatment; however, there is no evidence on safety and efficacy to support this practice currently. This paper describes a protocol for a systematic review on the safety and efficacy of reducing cardioprotective medication in older populations. Methods MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase (Ovid), and CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) will be searched from their inception onwards for relevant studies. Randomised controlled trials and non-randomised studies on interventions (prospective, retrospective cohort, case-control) conducted in older adults (75 years or older) examining reduction of cardioprotective medications will be included. The primary outcome of this study will be all-cause hospitalisation. Secondary outcome variables of interest are all-cause hospitalisation, mortality, quality of life, serious adverse events, major adverse cardiovascular events, falls, fractures, cognitive functioning, bleeding events, renal functioning, medication burden, drug reinstatement, time-in-hospital, and frailty status. Two reviewers will independently screen all citations, full-text articles, and extract data. Confidence in cumulative evidence will be assessed using the GRADE approach; the risk of bias will be assessed by the RoB-II tool for randomised controlled studies and ROBINS-I for non-randomised studies. Where sufficient data are available, we will conduct a random effects meta-analysis by combining the outcomes of the included studies. Sub-group analysis and meta-regression are planned to assess the potential harms and risks of different drug classes and the impacts in different patient populations (e.g. sex, cognitive status, renal status, and age). Discussion The study will be a comprehensive review on all published articles identified using our search strategy on the safety and efficacy of cardioprotective medication reduction in the older population. The findings will be crucial to inform clinicians on potential health outcomes of reducing cardiovascular medication in the elderly. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42020208223


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ismail Zul Khairul Azwadi ◽  
Mohd Noor Norhayati ◽  
Mohd Shafie Abdullah

AbstractAcute obstructive uropathy is associated with significant morbidity among patients with any condition that leads to urinary tract obstruction. Immediate urinary diversion is necessary to prevent further damage to the kidneys. In many centres, the two main treatment options include percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) and retrograde ureteral stenting (RUS). The purpose of this study if to compare the efficacy and safety of PCN and RUS for the treatment of acute obstructive uropathy. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, the World Health Organisation International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov. We also searched the reference lists of included studies to identify any additional trials. We included randomised controlled trials and controlled clinical trials comparing the outcomes of clinical improvement (septic parameters), hospitalisation duration, quality of life, urinary-related symptoms, failure rates, post-procedural pain [measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS)] and analgesics use. We conducted statistical analyses using random effects models and expressed the results as risk ratio (RR) and risk difference (RD) for dichotomous outcomes and mean difference (MD) for continuous outcomes, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Seven trials were identified that included 667 patients. Meta-analysis of the data revealed no difference in the two methods in improvement of septic parameters, quality of life, failure rates, post-procedural pain (VAS), or analgesics use. Patients receiving PCN had lower rates of haematuria and dysuria post-operatively and longer hospitalisation duration than those receiving RUS. PCN and RUS are effective for the decompression of an obstructed urinary system, with no significant difference in most outcomes. However, PCN is preferable to RUS because of its reduced impact on the patient’s post-operative quality of life due to haematuria and dysuria, although it is associated with slightly longer hospitalisation duration.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Gulea ◽  
Rosita Zakeri ◽  
Vanessa Alderman ◽  
Alexander Morgan ◽  
Jack Ross ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Beta-blockers are associated with reduced mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease but are often under prescribed in those with concomitant COPD, due to concerns regarding respiratory side-effects. We investigated the effects of beta-blockers on outcomes in patients with COPD and explored within-class differences between different agents. Methods We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Medline for observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of beta-blocker exposure versus no exposure or placebo, in patients with COPD, with and without cardiovascular indications. A meta-analysis was performed to assess the association of beta-blocker therapy with acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD), and a network meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of individual beta-blockers on FEV1. Mortality, all-cause hospitalization, and quality of life outcomes were narratively synthesized. Results We included 23 observational studies and 14 RCTs. In pooled observational data, beta-blocker therapy was associated with an overall reduced risk of AECOPD versus no therapy (HR 0.77, 95%CI 0.70 to 0.85). Among individual beta-blockers, only propranolol was associated with a relative reduction in FEV1 versus placebo, among 199 patients evaluated in RCTs. Narrative syntheses on mortality, all-cause hospitalization and quality of life outcomes indicated a high degree of heterogeneity in study design and patient characteristics but suggested no detrimental effects of beta-blocker therapy on these outcomes. Conclusion The class effect of beta-blockers remains generally positive in patients with COPD. Reduced rates of AECOPD, mortality, and improved quality of life were identified in observational studies, while propranolol was the only agent associated with a deterioration of lung function in RCTs.


2021 ◽  
pp. 204589402110078
Author(s):  
Lu Yan ◽  
Wence Shi ◽  
Zhi-hong Liu ◽  
Qin Luo ◽  
Zhihui Zhao ◽  
...  

Background: Several studies have suggested that exercise capacity and quality of life are reduced in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), and exercise-based rehabilitation can improve exercise capacity and quality of life in patients with PH. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of exercise-based rehabilitation in patients with PH through a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Medline, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials up to November 2018. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing exercise capacity and quality of life between patients undergoing exercise-based rehabilitation and those undergoing non-exercise training were included. Data were extracted separately and independently by two investigators, and discrepancies were arbitrated by the third investigator. We used the random-effects model to analyze the results, the GRADE to assess the risk of bias in the included studies, and I ² statistic to estimate the degree of heterogeneity. Results: Nine RCTs are included, however, only seven RCTs were able to extract data. Including inpatients and outpatients, the total number of participants was 234, most of whom were diagnosed as pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH). The study duration ranged from 3 to15 weeks. The mean six-minute walk distance after exercise training was 51.94 metres higher than control (27.65 to 76.23 metres, n=234, 7 RCTs, low quality evidence), the mean peak oxygen uptake  was 2.96 ml/kg/minute higher (2.49 to 3.43 ml/kg/minute, n=179, 4 RCTs, low-quality evidence) than in the control group . Concluded: Our finding suggest that an exercise-based training program positively influences exercise capacity in patients with PH.


Author(s):  
NURUL QIYAAM ◽  
WIRAWAN ADIKUSUMA ◽  
BAIQ LENY NOPITASARI ◽  
TRI MURTI ANDAYANI ◽  
AULIA AMINI

Objective: Stroke is defined as a sudden loss of brain function due to blockade/rupture of the brain’s blood vessels. Data collected by the Indonesian Stroke Foundation show that Indonesia ranks first in Asia as the country with the highest number of stroke sufferers. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the use of gabapentin to reduce pain intensity and improve the quality of life of post-stroke neuropathic pain in NTB Province hospital patients. Methods: This study was carried out in the period of June–July 2018. The targeted population was all post-stroke neuropathic patients who received gabapentin therapy in NTB provincial hospital. Affordable populations are post-stroke neuropathic pain patients who seek outpatient treatment at NTB provincial hospital that meets the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results of the data will be analyzed using paired sample t-test. Obtained 15 patients were willing to participate in this study. Results: The results of the study using questionnaire EQ-5D-3L after using gabapentin for 2 weeks. Patients experienced an improvement in the quality of life in each dimension items, namely the ability to walk/move from 6.7%, no problem to 60%, no self-care, 26.7% no problem to be 80% without problems, usual activities carried out from 13.3% had no problems to 46.7% had no problems, feeling of pain/discomfort from 60% having moderate problems to 60% had no problems, and anxiety/depression of 60% had no problem being 100% has no problem. While the measurement of the quality of life using the EQ-VAS questionnaire, there was a significant improvement in the quality of life between before and after using gabapentin at 32.66. Conclusion: The use of gabapentin has effectiveness on reduction of pain intensity and the quality of life of post-stroke neuropathic patients in regional general hospital, West Nusa Tenggara Province year 2018.


2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (12) ◽  
pp. 1847-1862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holger Cramer ◽  
Heidemarie Haller ◽  
Petra Klose ◽  
Lesley Ward ◽  
Vincent CH Chung ◽  
...  

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness and safety of yoga interventions on disease symptoms, quality of life and function in patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Data sources: Medline/PubMed, Scopus, and CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) were searched through 6 June 2019. Review methods: Randomized controlled trials assessing the effects of yoga on quality of life, dyspnea, exercise capacity, and pulmonary function (FEV1) in patients with COPD were included. Safety was defined as secondary outcome. Mean differences (MD) and standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool. Results: Eleven randomized controlled trials with a total of 586 patients were included. Meta-analysis revealed evidence for effects of yoga compared to no treatment on quality of life on the COPD Assessment Test (MD = 3.81; 95% CI = 0.97 to 6.65; P = 0.009, I2 = 70%), exercise capacity assessed by the 6-minute walk test (MD = 25.53 m; 95% CI = 12.16 m to 38.90 m; P = 0.001, I2 = 0%), and pulmonary function assessed by FEV1 predicted (MD  = 3.95%; 95% CI = 2.74% to 5.17%; P < 0.001, I2 = 0%). Only the effects on exercise capacity and pulmonary function were robust against methodological bias. Effects were only present in breathing-focused yoga interventions but not in interventions including yoga postures. Adverse events were reported infrequently. Conclusion: This meta-analysis found robust effects of yoga on exercise capacity and pulmonary function in patients with COPD. Yoga, specifically yoga breathing techniques, can be an effective adjunct intervention for patients with COPD. Yoga’s safety needs to be assessed in more depth in future studies.


2002 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastiano Mercadante ◽  
Edoardo Arcuri ◽  
Walter Tirelli ◽  
Patrizia Villari ◽  
Alessandra Casuccio

Aims and Background Amitriptyline is the most common analgesic adjuvant used in cancer patients with neuropathic pain, even though no specific studies have demonstrated a benefit. A randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study was designed to evidence the effects of amitriptyline in patients with neuropathic cancer pain. Methods Sixteen advanced cancer patients with neuropathic pain on systemic morphine therapy, no longer receiving oncologic treatment, presenting moderate pain (about 4 or more, but less than 7, on a numerical scale of 0-10) in the last week, and given a stable morphine dose in the last 2 days were admitted to the study. During the first week of study, patients were administered 25 mg of amitriptyline or equivalent drops of placebo at night for 3 days and 50 mg for the following 4 days. Doses for patients aged more than 65 years were 15 mg (first 3 days) and 30 mg (3 days after). After a week, a crossover took place for the second week, with the other treatment at an inverse sequence. Opioid consumption, pain intensity, symptoms and adverse effects, mood, sleep, patient's preference, quality of life before starting the study, the first week after and the second week after were recorded. Results No significant benefits in analgesia were found in the global pain intensity of the previous week of treatment, the least pain intensity or the pain evaluated just after a week of treatment, at the moment of the visit, when amitriptyline was compared with placebo. A significant difference was evidenced for the worst pain (P < 0.035). No differences in opioid doses during the period of study were found. Drowsiness, confusion and dry mouth were significantly more intense with amitriptyline than with placebo (P < 0.036, 0.003, and 0.034, respectively). There were no substantial differences between the two treatments in Spitzer's quality of life score and for each item. No differences in patients' preference for the two treatment periods were found. The analgesic effects of amitriptyline were slight and associated with adverse effects. Conclusions In light of the results obtained in the study, the extensive use of the drug for cancer pain should be questioned.


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