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Table 3 Number of changesa from initialb to stablec therapy by condition and therapeutic class included in the prescription

From: Primary care incidence and treatment of four neuropathic pain conditions: A descriptive study, 2002–2005

 

Number of patients

Changes to stable therapy in 1 year

Initial Treatment Includes:

Treated (% all treatedd)

Followed >1 year (% treated)

Stable in 1 year (%followed)

Median

Range

Post-herpetic neuralgia:

     

   Total

1414

828 (58.6)

232 (28.0)

3

0–20

   Antiepileptics

248 (17.5)

153 (61.7)

46 (30.1)

3

1–20

   Antidepressants (tricyclics)

728 (51.5)

422 (58.0)

104 (24.6)

2

0–11

   Antidepressants (other)

39 (2.8)

26 (66.7)

10 (38.5)

4

2–8

   Non-opioid analgesics

529 (37.4)

310 (58.6)

103 (33.2)

3

0–18

   Opioid analgesics

504 (35.6)

277 (55.0)

92 (33.2)

3

0–18

   Rubefacients/other topical antirheumatics

150 (10.6)

91 (60.7)

29 (31.9)

2

1–8

   Local anaesthetics

8 (0.6)

4 (50.0)

2 (50.0)

3

1–4

Trigeminal neuralgia:

     

   Total

1164

762 (65.5)

168 (22.0)

2

0–17

   Antiepileptics

653 (56.1)

433 (66.3)

91 (21.0)

2

0–17

   Antidepressants (tricyclics)

318 (27.3)

205 (64.5)

43 (21.0)

2

1–12

   Antidepressants (other)

29 (2.5)

16 (55.2)

4 (25.0)

2

1–5

   Non-opioid analgesics

258 (22.2)

169 (65.5)

40 (23.7)

2

0–17

   Opioid analgesics

260 (22.3)

165 (63.5)

45 (27.3)

3

1–17

   Rubefacients/other topical antirheumatics

24 (2.1)

14 (58.3)

4 (28.6)

6

2–12

   Local anaesthetics

5 (0.4)

3 (60.0)

1 (33.3)

4

4-4

Phantom limb pain:

     

   Total

40

27 (67.5)

13 (48.1)

3

1–53

   Antiepileptics

11 (27.5)

8 (72.7)

2 (25.0)

3

2–3

   Antidepressants (tricyclics)

13 (32.5)

8 (61.5)

5 (62.5)

3

1–36

   Antidepressants (other)

4 (10.0)

3 (75.0)

3 (100.0)

1

1–53

   Non-opioid analgesics

13 (32.5)

8 (61.5)

3 (37.5)

1

1–3

   Opioid analgesics

16 (40.0)

9 (56.3)

5 (55.6)

3

1–5

   Rubefacients/other topical antirheumatics

0

-

-

-

-

   Local anaesthetics

0

-

-

-

-

Painful diabetic neuropathy:

     

   Total

922

508 (55.1)

161 (31.7)

2

0–31

   Antiepileptics

237 (25.7)

107 (45.1)

41 (38.3)

2

0–16

   Antidepressants (tricyclics)

404 (43.8)

233 (57.7)

73 (31.3)

2

0–12

   Antidepressants (other)

59 (6.4)

30 (50.8)

12 (40.0)

4

1–8

   Non-opioid analgesics

283 (30.7)

171 (60.4)

48 (28.1)

2

0–31

   Opioid analgesics

249 (27.0)

137 (55.0)

54 (39.4)

2

0–31

   Rubefacients/other topical antirheumatics

54 (5.9)

34 (63.0)

14 (41.2)

2

1–8

   Local anaesthetics

9 (1.0)

8 (88.9)

3 (37.5)

1

1–7

  1. aTreatment changes comprised each switch, discontinuation, new treatment or addition of a concomitant treatment, but not a change in dose. bStarted within 28 days of the first record of the disease. cMore than two prescriptions for the same treatment with less than 56 days between them. d Some patients had more than 1 therapeutic class in the initial therapy, percentages add to >100.