title: Patient perceptions associated with the 5% lidocaine medicated plaster in daily practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate patients' perceptions of 5% lidocaine medicated plaster for treatment of chronic neuropathic pain in daily clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective, multicentre, non-interventional observation, patient-reported outcome data were collected in clinical practices in Germany using the German Pain Questionnaire for pre-treatment documentation and the German Pain Diary for documentation of weekly treatment-associated changes. Questionnaires were completed by the patients without input from their physicians.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mean changes over the 12-week treatment period in pain intensity, in impairments of daily activities (modified pain disability index, mPDI) and of quality of life (quality of life impairment by pain inventory, QLIP), in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores (HADS-A and HADS-D), and in overall burden of pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data of 922 patients were evaluated. Mean average pain intensity over 24 h improved by 5.1 points (74%) from 6.9 ± 1.6 points at baseline. A 30% reduction in overall pain intensity was already observed within the first 2-3 weeks with continuous further reductions until end of observation. Marked improvements in anxiety and depression scores (40% and 52%, respectively), and in pain-related restrictions in daily life activities (66%) and quality of life (157%) were also noted. Burden of pain was reduced by 56.2 points (73%) from 77.5 points at baseline. Stratification by diagnosis showed a treatment effect of lidocaine plaster for all underlying conditions with highest treatment effects for diabetic polyneuropathy and postherpetic neuralgia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a patient population where 46% of individuals already suffered from chronic to markedly chronic pain, patients perceive the 5% lidocaine medicated plaster as an efficacious topical treatment of chronic neuropathic pain in daily clinical practice. Strongest pain relief as well as associated improvements in pain-related restrictions were observed within the first five treatment weeks; however, beneficial effects continued until end of observation.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Neurological Sciences, Algesiology and Paediatrics, Nürnberg, Germany. Michael.Ueberall@ifnap.de
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Überall
authors.forename: Gerhard H H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Müller-Schwefe
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage; D047070:Bandages, Hydrocolloid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008012:Lidocaine