OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether amitriptyline is more effective than placebo in improving phantom limb pain or residual limb pain. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial of amitriptyline for 6 weeks. SETTING:University hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-nine persons with amputation-related pain lasting more than 6 months. INTERVENTION: Six-week trial of amitriptyline (titrated up to 125 mg/d) or an active placebo (benztropine mesylate). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Analyses were conducted to examine whether there was a medication group effect on the primary outcomes (average pain intensity) and secondary outcome measures (disability, satisfaction with life, handicap). RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the treatment groups in outcome variables when controlling for initial pain scores. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings do not support the use of amitriptyline in the treatment of postamputation pain.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether amitriptyline is more effective than placebo in improving phantom limb pain or residual limb pain. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial of amitriptyline for 6 weeks. SETTING: University hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-nine persons with amputation-related pain lasting more than 6 months. INTERVENTION: Six-week trial of amitriptyline (titrated up to 125 mg/d) or an active placebo (benztropine mesylate). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Analyses were conducted to examine whether there was a medication group effect on the primary outcomes (average pain intensity) and secondary outcome measures (disability, satisfaction with life, handicap). RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the treatment groups in outcome variables when controlling for initial pain scores. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings do not support the use of amitriptyline in the treatment of postamputation pain.
Authors: Christopher L Wu; Shefali Agarwal; Prabhav K Tella; Brendan Klick; Michael R Clark; Jennifer A Haythornthwaite; Mitchell B Max; Srinivasa N Raja Journal: Anesthesiology Date: 2008-08 Impact factor: 7.892