Does allopurinol reduce pain of chronic pancreatitis?
CONCLUSIONS
A dosage of 300 mg/d of allopurinol was not effective in reducing pain or improving activities of daily living in chronic pancreatitis.


BACKGROUND
Allopurinol prevents the generation of oxygen-derived free radicals by inhibiting xanthine oxidase. The purpose of this study was to determine whether allopurinol is effective in reducing pain of chronic pancreatitis.


METHODS
Thirteen patients with chronic pancreatitis who were experiencing abdominal pain requiring medication at least three times each week entered a randomized, double-blind, two-period crossover clinical trial. Patients evaluated their pain daily using a categorical pain intensity scale, numeric pain intensity scale, and a visual analog scale, and weekly completed a McGill Pain Questionnaire and activities of daily living (ADL) questionnaire.


RESULTS
The mean baseline score of pain was approx 50% of most severe pain in all scoring systems. There was no significant decrease in pain associated with allopurinol compared to the placebo (p = 0.24-0.75). In addition, there was no benefit in terms of ADL score associated with allopurinol compared with placebo (p = 0.32). Mean uric acid level was decreased by 1.15 mg/dL while patients were taking allopurinol, compared to when they were taking placebo (p = 0.007).
Banks
P A
PA
Center for Pancreatic Disease, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Hughes
M
M
Ferrante
M
M
Noordhoek
E C
EC
Ramagopal
V
V
Slivka
A
A
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000139:chemically induced; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000493:Allopurinol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000842:Ankle / Q000473:pathology; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D002908:Chronic Disease; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005076:Exanthema / Q000139:chemically induced; D005145:Face / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000503:physiopathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010919:Placebos; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D010919:Placebos; D014527:Uric Acid; D000493:Allopurinol