A Study on the Efficacy and Safety of Pregabalin and Nortriptyline in Patients with Post-herpetic Neuralgia

Abstract

Post-herpetic neuralgia is commonest long-term complication of varicella-zoster virus reactivation. The occurrence of PHN in HZ patients is 5to 30%. The objective of the current study was to compare the efficacy and safety of pregabalin and nortriptyline in patients with post-herpeticneuralgia. This is a prospective, randomized, double-arm, double-blinded study, carried out in GMC/GGH, Ongole, for a period of 1 year. Thesample size was 300. One group received oral pregabalin 150 mg BD and others received oral nortriptyline 25 mg OD and a placebo for 8 weeks. The patients were asked for follow-up at the end of 4 weeks and 8 weeks, respectively. The LANSS score was used to assess neuropathic painand its severity. Mean LANSS score in the Pregabalin group at baseline was 18.89 ± 4.29 and the nortriptyline group was 17.97 ± 4.98. After8 weeks of treatment, they were reduced to 10.89 ± 3.94 and 9.92 ± 4.13, respectively. The difference in the reduction of the LANSS scorewas significant at the end of the study. The majority of ADRs reported were mild in severity. In this study, both medications were effective inreducing pain in PHN, with pregabalin showing significant improvement at the end of the 8 weeks. Both drugs were safer with mild side effects.