Evaluating the maintenance of effect of duloxetine in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain.
BACKGROUND
To evaluate the maintenance of effect of duloxetine 60 mg QD over 26 weeks in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP).


METHODS
Adult patients with DPNP and Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) 24-h average pain >or=4 were treated in this open-label study with duloxetine 60 mg QD for 8 weeks. Responders (>or=30% pain reduction) continued on duloxetine 60 mg QD (maintenance arm) for 26 weeks while non-responders had duloxetine increased to 120 mg QD (rescue arm). The primary outcome measure was the mean change from baseline (Week 8) to endpoint (Week 34) in BPI average pain in the maintenance arm. A number of secondary efficacy measures, as well as safety and tolerability, were assessed.


RESULTS
Two hundred and sixteen patients entered the study and their baseline BPI average pain was 5.9. Thirty-two patients (15%) discontinued during the acute phase. One hundred and fifteen (53%) patients were found to be responders to 60 mg dose and they entered the maintenance arm. During the maintenance period they reported a mean change of BPI average pain of 0.35, with 0.79 as the upper bound of the one-sided 97.5% CI, which was less than the pre-specified non-inferiority margin of 1.5 (p < 0.001). Non-responders, upon dose increase to 120 mg QD, reported a statistically significant pain reduction. Total of 119 patients completed either arm of the study. Twenty patients experienced 27 serious adverse events including one death.


CONCLUSIONS
In this open-label study, the effect of duloxetine 60 mg QD in patients with DPNP was maintained over 6-month period.
Skljarevski
Vladimir
V
Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. vladimir@lilly.com
Desaiah
Durisala
D
Zhang
Qi
Q
Chappell
Amy S
AS
Detke
Michael J
MJ
Gross
Jorge L
JL
Ziegler
Dan
D
D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D000068736:Duloxetine Hydrochloride; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors; D013876:Thiophenes; D000068736:Duloxetine Hydrochloride