title: Response of central pain syndromes to intravenous lidocaine.
abstract: In this study, 8 patients with central pain syndromes, 6 with hemispheric lesions, and 2 with spinal cord lesions were treated with a 1 mg/kg dose of intravenous lidocaine. Patients first received the same volume of normal saline, in single-blind fashion, to monitor placebo effects. Of the 8 patients, 7 responded to lidocaine, and only 1 responded to normal saline. Responses ranged from partial to complete. All components of central pain, including constant pain, paroxysms ofpain, and evoked pain, responded to lidocaine. In addition, 3 patients had pain relief that lasted for 8-20 wk. These findings, which are in agreement with two previous open-label studies, suggest that a single dose of a local anesthetic, lidocaine, can provide lasting pain relief for patients with central pain syndromes. This analgesic action may be central, and possibly supraspinal, at least in patients with hemispheric lesions.
authors.affiliation: Pain Clinic and Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Backonja
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Gombar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013577:Syndrome; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008012:Lidocaine