title: Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of pregabalin, venlafaxine, and carbamazepine in patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. A randomized, double-blind trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of carbamazepine, pregabalin, and venlafaxine in patients with painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN).
  
  
  METHODS
  Our study was performed as a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group clinical trial between December 2012 and December 2013 at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran. Two hundred and fifty-seven patients with clinically definite PDN were randomized to receive, carbamazepine, venlafaxine, or pregabalin. The primary outcome was subjective pain as assessed by the visual analogue scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes consisted of sleep, mood, and work interference assessments, and a percentage of patients achieving at least 50% reduction in pain intensity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Means of VAS scores for carbamazepine, pregabalin, and venlafaxine treatment groups at the baseline (74.5, 82.3, and 74.5) and endpoint (39.6, 33.4, and 46.6) revealed significant reduction, although pregabalin was more efficacious than carbamazepine, and venlafaxine. Improvements in means scores of sleep, mood, and work interferences were identified in all treatment groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed the efficacy of venlafaxine, pregabalin, and carbamazepine in pain reduction in patients with diabetic neuropathy, although pregabalin was shown to be superior to carbamazepine, and venlafaxine in relieving pain, no significant superiority was shown between carbamazepine, and venlafaxine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Imam Reza Hospital, College of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
authors.forename: Nazanin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Razazian
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baziyar
authors.forename: Nasrin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moradian
authors.forename: Daryoush
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Afshari
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bostani
authors.forename: Marziyeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahmoodi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D000069583:Pregabalin; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D002220:Carbamazepine; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D000069583:Pregabalin; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid