Treatment of chronic cervicobrachial pain with periradicular injection of meloxicam.
Cervicobrachial pain (CBP) is often resistant to conventional oral analgesics. We hypothesized that the periradicular injection of meloxicam would produce a significant reduction in their intractable CBP. The secondary objective was to assess the impact of the treatment on functional recovery.



48 patients with persistent CBP (>3 months of duration) despite multimodal analgesic therapy received 1-3 periradicular injections of meloxicam, 5-20 mg, at the dermatomal level(s) corresponding to their pain symptoms. Pain level (0=none to 10=severe), rescue analgesics, and functional activity were recorded at baseline and for 90d after the last injection. The injection was repeated if the pain score remained >3 or paresthesia persisted.



The mean pain score was reduced from a baseline of 8.9 (±1) to 1.7 (±2.2) at 90 days after the last meloxicam injection. Following meloxicam treatment(s), only 13% of the patients required oral analgesic rescue medication. All patients increased their functional activity level.



Cervical periradicular injection of meloxicam reduced CBP by 81% at 90-day follow-up and also improved functional recovery.
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy - battista.borghi@ior.it.
Lucia
L
Aurini
Battista
B
Borghi
Paul F
PF
White
Andrea
A
TOGNù
Barbara
B
Rossi
Greta
G
Fini
Pierfrancesco
P
Fusco
Massimiliano
M
Mosca
Raffaele
R
Borghi
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020968:Brachial Plexus Neuritis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000077239:Meloxicam; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013843:Thiazines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000700:Analgesics; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D013843:Thiazines; D013844:Thiazoles; D000077239:Meloxicam