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document
The effect of venlafaxine on ongoing and experimentally induced pain in neuropathic pain patients : a double blind , placebo controlled study . BACKGROUND AND AIM The aim of this randomized double blind placebo controlled study was to investigate the effectiveness and the safety of venlafaxine XR 75 and 150 mg on ongoing pain and on quantitative sensory tests in 60 patients with neuropathic pain for 8 weeks . METHODS Evaluation parameters consisted of ongoing pain intensity ( VAS ) , patient satisfaction , side effects , global efficacy and tolerance . Quantitative sensory measurements taken from the affected area before and after the drug treatment included pin-prick hyperalgesia , allodynia , detection and pain thresholds to electrical and heat stimuli , temporal summation of repetitive electrical and heat stimuli . RESULTS A total of 55 patients completed the study . VAS scores decreased significantly compared to the baseline measurements in all groups . There was no significant difference between the groups regarding pain intensity and escape medication . The areas of allodynia and pin-prick hyperalgesia decreased significantly in venlafaxine groups compared to the placebo . There was no significant difference between the groups regarding the detection thresholds ( electrical and heat ) . The pain threshold and the summation threshold to electrical stimuli and the summation threshold to heat stimuli increased significantly following treatment in both venlafaxine groups . In addition , the degree of the temporal summation to electrical and heat stimuli decreased significantly following treatment in both venlafaxine groups compared to the placebo . CONCLUSION The study showed significant effect of venlafaxine in the manifestations of hyperalgesia and temporal summation , but not on the ongoing pain intensity . Furthermore , the quantitative sensory tests provided complementing information to the clinical measures .
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Intervention_Pharmacological
venlafaxine
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Intervention_Control
placebo
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Intervention_Control
placebo
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Intervention_Pharmacological
venlafaxine XR 75 and 150 mg
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Intervention_Pharmacological
venlafaxine
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Intervention_Pharmacological
venlafaxine
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Intervention_Pharmacological
venlafaxine
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Outcome_Pain
VAS scores
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Outcome_Pain
pain intensity and escape medication .
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Outcome_Physical
areas of allodynia and pin-prick hyperalgesia
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Outcome_Pain
pain threshold
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Outcome_Other
summation threshold to electrical stimuli
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Outcome_Physical
and the
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Outcome_Other
summation threshold to heat stimuli
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Outcome_Physical
degree of the temporal summation to electrical and heat stimuli
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Participant_Condition
neuropathic pain
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Participant_Sample-size
60
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Participant_Condition
neuropathic pain
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Participant_Sample-size
55