title: Capsaicin 8 % Patch: A Review in Peripheral Neuropathic Pain.
abstract: The capsaicin 8 % patch (QUTENZA®) is an adhesive patch containing a high concentration (8 % w/w) of synthetic capsaicin, a selective agonist of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 channel. It is approved for treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain in adults either alone or in combination with other medicinal products for pain in the EU; it is only approved to treat postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) in the USA. In patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (PDPN), a single 30-min application of the capsaicin 8 % patch significantly improved pain relief and sleep quality compared with placebo in a 12-week double-blind trial. In a 52-week, randomized trial, up to seven consecutive 30-min treatments with the capsaicin 8 % patch (≤7 treatments each at least 8 weeks apart) plus standard of care therapy was associated with sustained pain relief and no negative neurological safety consequences compared with standard of care. In two randomized trials, a single 60-min application of the capsaicin 8 % patch reduced pain scores significantly more than a low-concentration (0.04 %) capsaicin control patch in patients with PHN. Capsaicin 8 % patch treatment was noninferior to pregabalin (optimized dosage) in a randomized trial in patients with nondiabetic peripheral neuropathic pain. Results in two trials in patients with HIV-AN were equivocal, with a significant improvement in pain intensity observed in one trial, but not in the other. The capsaicin 8 % patch was associated with expected, transient, capsaicin-related application-site adverse events such as erythema and pain.
authors.affiliation: Springer, Private Bag 65901, Mairangi Bay, 0754, Auckland, New Zealand. demail@springer.com.
authors.forename: Celeste B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Burness
authors.affiliation: Springer, Private Bag 65901, Mairangi Bay, 0754, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Paul L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: McCormack
mesh_terms: D002211:Capsaicin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D051474:Neuralgia, Postherpetic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D059408:Pain Management; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069583:Pregabalin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018689:Sensory System Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D057968:Transdermal Patch / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D018689:Sensory System Agents; D000069583:Pregabalin; D002211:Capsaicin