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As herpes zoster progresses via postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) to well-established PHN, it presents its recalcitrant nature to the treatment.
Postherpetic neuralgia causes damage to sensory nerves
causing severe neuropathic pain. The study evaluated that early treatment can
manage the problem of pain in postherpetic neuralgia. It was a chronic
university-based pain clinic study.
As herpes zoster progresses via postherpetic neuralgia
(PHN) to well-established PHN, it presents its recalcitrant nature to the
treatment. At this point, the well-established PHN is fixed as a non-treatable,
but manageable chronic painful neuropathic disorder. This study evaluated the
incidence of complete relief from PHN according to PHN duration at their first
visit, and the other factors influencing it.
A retrospective chart review was carried out on patients
with PHN at a university-based pain clinic over 7 years. The responders were
defined as patients who had complete relief from pain after 1 year of active
treatment. Age, sex, PHN duration at their first visit, dermatomal
distribution, and underlying disorders were compared in the responder and
non-responder groups. Responders were also compared according to these factors.
Among 117 PHN patients (M/F = 48/69), 35 patients (29.9%) had
complete relief from PHN. Mean ages were 64.3 ± 10.6 and 66.9 ± 10.7 years,
numbers of male to female patients were 11/24 and 37/45, and mean durations of
PHN at their first visit were 8.5 ± 6.3 and 15.3 ± 10.7 months in the responder
and non- responder groups, respectively. In addition, PHN patients who visited
the clinic before 9 months showed a better result. Dermatomal distribution and
underlying disorders did not show significant differences.
Almost 30% of PHN patients received complete relief. Those
who sought treatment in a pain clinic before 9 months received a better result.
Korean J Pain 2017 July; Vol. 30, No. 3: 214-219
Earlier treatment improves the chances of complete relief from postherpetic neuralgia
Dong Hee Kang et al.
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