title: Efficacy of milnacipran in the treatment of chronic pain syndromes.
abstract: Abstract Eleven outpatients with chronic pain syndromes other than fibromyalgia were treated for 12 weeks with milnacipran, a novel serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor. The agent was administered at 50-150 mg/day, and the mean ± SD dose at 12 weeks or at the time drug treatment was stopped was 84.1 ± 32.2 mg/day. None of the patients met the DSM-IV criteria for a major depressive disorder. Abdominal, chest, back, arm, leg or glossal pain, or headache was involved. Pain was assessed clinically by means of a visual analog scale (VAS) before and 12 weeks after the start of milnacipran treatment, or at the time drug treatment was stopped. The mean ± SD decrease in VAS scores was 42.3 ± 31.6 (50.8 ± 49.2%). One patient discontinued treatment after 4 weeks because of nausea, whereas others tolerated the agent well. These results suggest that the use of milnacipran in patients with a variety of chronic pain syndromes is beneficial.
authors.affiliation: Health Administration Center, Yamagata University, Kojirakawa-machi, Yamagata, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamata
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.forename: Akihito
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Otani
keywords: Milnacipran; SNRI; antidepressant; chronic pain