title: Add-on treatment with pregabalin for patients with uncontrolled neuropathic pain who have been referred to pain clinics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of pregabalin on pain, other symptoms, and patient-reported outcomes for patients with uncontrolled pain who have been referred to pain clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult patients with uncontrolled pain who had a score of ≥4 in the DN4 questionnaire were evaluated at baseline, month 3, and month 6. Evaluations included pain levels using a visual analog (VAS) scale as well as anxiety, depression, sleep, disability, and treatment satisfaction employing validated tools.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our sample comprised 413 patients who met the selection criteria, had not received pregabalin previously, and were prescribed pregabalin at the study initiation, mainly (97 %) as add-on therapy. Overall, patients had a statistically significant reduction in VAS pain score of 41 points (54 % reduction, p < 0.001), varying from 64 % reduction (oncological pain) to 31 % reduction (central neuropathic pain). Effect sizes for anxiety, depression, sleep, and treatment satisfaction improvement were moderate to large depending on the dimension and clinical entity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that in patients with uncontrolled neuropathic pain of various origins who were treated at pain clinics, the addition of pregabalin to a wider pharmacological treatment regimen was associated with a clinically relevant improvement of pain and psychological well-being and a reduction in the impact of neuropathic pain on daily activities. Add-on treatment with pregabalin was well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Pain Unit, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: José-Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: de la Calle
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Andres
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: López
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018710:Pain Clinics / Q000639:trends; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000379:methods; D000069583:Pregabalin; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000639:trends; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000069583:Pregabalin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid