[Sequential drugs treatment for central pain following spinal cord injury].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate methods and therapeutic effects of sequential drugs treatment for central pain following spinal cord injury.


METHODS
A total of 28 patients suffered from central pain following spinal cord injury were treated with sequential drugs from 1994 to 2008, including 23 males and 5 females, ranging in age from 25 to 59 years (mean 42 years). According to the patients' response to drugs, the therapy grade was adjusted step by step until the pain was relieved. Basing on VAS scores before and after drugs treatment, analgesic effect was evaluated. The first grade drugs: COX-2 inhibitors. The second grade drugs: Tricyclic antidepressant drugs (Amitriptyline) + COX-2 inhibitors + Carbamazepine. The third grade drugs: Tricyclic antidepressant drugs (Amitriptyline) + Gabapentin + Neurotropin/COX-2 inhibitors.


RESULTS
The pain of all of 28 patients was relieved to different extent. The VAS scores decreased by 23.3 +/- 1.2 in the first grade drugs treatment group. The VAS scores decreased by 54.5 +/- 3.8 in the second grade drugs treatment group. The VAS scores decreased by 65.8 +/- 5.1 in the third grade drugs treatment group (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The sequential drugs treatment for central pain following spinal cord injury has a good analgesia effect and little adverse reaction.
Jiang
Chuan-jie
CJ
Department of Spine and Spinal Cord, the Orthopaedics Hospital of Wendeng, Wendeng 264400, Shandong, China. wdsf@163.com
Tan
Yuan-chao
YC
Yang
Yong-jun
YJ
Zhang
En-zhong
EZ
Liu
Jun
J
Yao
Shu-qiang
SQ
Yu
Jian-lin
JL
D000328:Adult; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy
D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D011134:Polysaccharides; D000639:Amitriptyline; D002220:Carbamazepine; C010491:neurotropin