Self-management, amitriptyline, and amitripyline plus triamcinolone in the management of vulvodynia.
OBJECTIVE
To conduct a prospective study to determine the efficacy of self-management interventions, amitriptyline, and amitriptyline plus topical triamcinolone in reducing vulvar pain in women with vulvodynia.


METHODS
This was a randomized, prospective study of 53 women between the ages of 18 and 72 with vulvodynia. Participants undertook one of three treatment interventions for a period of 12 weeks: self-management, oral amitriptyline (10-20 mg/day), or topical triamcinolone plus oral amitriptyline (10-20 mg/day). The McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) was used to measure changes in qualitative pain using the pain rating index (PRI) and in quantitative pain using the present pain intensity (PPI) scale.


RESULTS
Of the 53 randomized subjects, 43 completed the trial. There were no statistically significant differences in PRI or PPI scores among the three treatment groups. Significant within-group differences were observed in the self-management group on the PRI and in the amitriptyline group on the PPI.


CONCLUSIONS
This first randomized, prospective trial suggests that self-management has a modest effect and that low-dose amitriptyline (with and without topical triamcinolone) is not effective in reducing pain in women with vulvodynia.
Brown
Candace S
CS
Departments of Pharmacy, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Psychiatry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. csbrown@utmem.edu
Wan
Jim
J
Bachmann
Gloria
G
Rosen
Ray
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014221:Triamcinolone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014844:Vulva; D055815:Young Adult
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000639:Amitriptyline; D014221:Triamcinolone