title: [Experience with 5% lidocaine medicated plaster in the treatment of localized neuropathic pain].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this paper is to confirm the efficacy and safety in clinical practice of 5% lidocaine medicated plaster (LMP) in the treatment of localized neuropathic pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, observational study carried out in the period 2006-2012, in patients with various forms of localized peripheral neuropathic pain treated with LMP. Only patients with at least one follow-up visit after prescription of the drug were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and one patients were assessable, 60.4% of whom suffered from postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), while the remainder reported mainly post-traumatic/post-surgical neuropathic pain and other superficial localized neuralgias. In baseline conditions, the mean pain intensity measured on the NRS was 6.1. The median treatment time with LMP was 41 days, at the end of which there was a 64% fall in NRS, with no significant differences between the patients with PHN or other localized neuralgias. A better NRS reduction trend was also observed in those patients who, in our study, started treatment with LMP from the first visit, compared with those patients to whom LMP was prescribed later. The tolerability was good, with few adverse events at the application site, which led to suspension of treatment in just three cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our experience, LMP proved to be an effective and well-tolerated drug in the treatment of PHN and other superficial localized neuralgias. This observation is in agreement with the international guidelines, which suggest LMP as first line treatment for the management of localized peripheral neuropathic pain.
authors: Unità Operativa Terapia del Dolore e C.P. ASUR Marche Area Vasta 1 Fano, Pesaro e Urbino, Italia - afogliardi@yahoo.it.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Fogliardi
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Brunori
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000368:Aged; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002133:Calcium Sulfate; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051474:Neuralgia, Postherpetic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D004337:Drug Carriers; D008012:Lidocaine; D002133:Calcium Sulfate