What is the real effect of pregabalin in patients with diabetic neuropathic pain? (do patients suffer from less pain or do they less care about it?)

Abstract

Objectives - Depression and anxiety are frequent in patients with chronic diseases such as diabetic neuropathic pain.The pain seems to be more severe in patients in whom depressive findings accompanied pain symptoms. Pregabalin was reported to have positive effects on anxiety and depression. This brings out the question, whether the pain relief effect of pregabalin is due to its analgesic effect or to its effects on mood? The aim of this study is to find out whether the positive effect of pregabalin in patients with diabetic neuropathic pain is limited to its effect on pain. Thus the question - do patients suffer from less pain or do they less care about pain? -should be answered. Methods - With this aim the NRS scores of 46 patients with diabetic neuropathic pain, whose HADS scores did not change with pregabalin treatment were compared with their baseline levels, retrospectively. Results - The NRS scores of the group were reduced with pregabalin treatment. Conclusion - This results suggests that the reduced pain in pregabalin treatment should be independent from its effects on depression and anxiety. © 2018 Ifjusagi Lap-es Konyvkiado Vallalat. All rights reserved.