The Effect of Fentanyl Patch in the Treatment of Intractable Postherpetic Neuralgia

Lee, Ga Young

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Postherpetic neuralgia is a persistant pain which occurs after the reactivation of varicella zoster infection. It sometimes disrupts the lives of otherwise healthy individuals. A transdermal patch of analgesics such as fentanyl could be a novel and safe method, with less adverse problems, to relieve the prolonged pain in postherpetic neuralgia.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the analgesic effect and safety of transdermal fentanyl patch in intractable postherpetic neuralgia.
METHODS
We applied a fentanyl patch on the chest for 6 days, changing it once on the fourth day. The severity of pain was evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS), and was assessed before treatment, the first and third day after commencement of treatment, and 1 day after treatment had finished. Any side effects were also checked at each VAS assessment session.
RESULTS
The average VAS pain score of the pretreatment, first, third, and seventh day were as follows; 82.9+/-8.8, 49.6+/-15.8, 45.0+/-16.5, 45.7+/-15.2. Postherpetic neuralgia was dramatically improved from the first day of treatment, and the improved state was maintained until 1 day after the treatment had finished (p<0.05). Several side effects such as contact dermatitis (9.5%), mild nausea (14.3%), and constipation (9.5%) were observed during the treatment.
CONCLUSION
Fentanyl patch is an effective, simple and relatively safe method in the treatment of intractable postherpetic neuralgia.