Efficacy of Pregabalin Versus Duloxetine in Patients with Diabetic Painful Neuropathy
Abstract
Diabetic neuropathy occurs in 30% of patients and presents with paraesthesia in the feet, cutaneous hyperaesthesia and abnormal gait. There is a difference in opinion regarding the first line agents for painful diabetic neuropathy. The objective of the study was to compare the efficacy of pregabalin and duloxetine in terms of good pain relief in patients with diabetic neuropathy.Methods
This randomized controlled trial was conducted in 116 patients after an informed consent. VAS was used to assess the baseline pain level and the patients were allocated to either group A (Pregabalin group; 150mg twice a day) or group B (Duloxetine group; 60mg once a day) for up to 6 weeks using single blind technique and lottery method. Patients were assessed at weeks 3 and 6 to assess the relief in pain.Results
Mean age in both the groups was 48.36+7.10 and 50.56+6.17 respectively. Mean pain (VAS) at baseline in both the groups were 6.44+0.92 and 7.22+0.46 respectively whereas mean pain (VAS) at 06 weeks were 4.0+0.60 and 5.04+0.57 respectively. Frequency and percentage of good pain relief was 33(66%) and 37(74%) respectively (p = 0.383). Among the patients who reported good pain relief, 70 were male while 4 were female patients and out of those 26 patients that did not meet the criteria for good pain relief, 11 were male and 15 patients were female.Conclusion
The study concluded that both duloxetine and pregabalin were equally effective in diabetic painful neuropathy with variable results in male and female patients.Keywords:
Diabetic Neuropathy, Pregabalin, Duloxetine.Published
2021/07/03
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