title: Intravenous lidocaine in central pain: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, psychophysical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of systemic administration of lidocaine on different components of neuropathic central pains by quantitative sensory testing.
  
  
  METHODS
  The efficacy of systemic lidocaine (5 mg/kg IV over 30 minutes) was evaluated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, and cross-over fashion, on both spontaneous ongoing pain and evoked pains (allodynia and hyperalgesia) in 16 patients with chronic poststroke (n = 6) or spinal cord injury (n = 10) related pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lidocaine was significantly superior to the placebo (saline) in reducing the intensity of spontaneous ongoing pain for up to 45 minutes after the injection: 10 of 16 patients (62.5%) receiving lidocaine showed a significant reduction in spontaneous pain, whereas only six patients showed this after the placebo. Lidocaine also significantly reduced the intensity of brush-induced allodynia and mechanical hyperalgesia, but was no better than the placebo against thermal allodynia and hyperalgesia. In general, the side effects were moderate and consisted mainly of lightheadedness (44%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systemic lidocaine can induce a significant and selective reduction of several components of pain caused by CNS injuries. The observed preferential antihyperalgesic and antiallodynic effects of this drug suggest a selective central action on the mechanisms underlying these evoked pains.
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Evaluation et de Traitement de la douleur, Hôpital Ambroise Paré, Boulogne, Paris, France.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Attal
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gaudé
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brasseur
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dupuy
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guirimand
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bouhassira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D008012:Lidocaine