| dc.description.abstract | Background : Pain is the most disturbing symptom of diabetic
neuropathy. Painful diabetic neuropathy occurs in 16-26% of patients
with diabetes mellitus. Variety of medications are still being studied to
get the best treatment for painful diabetic neuropathy.
Objective : The objective of this study was to assess the difference
Gabapentin, Amitriptyline and combination Amitriptyline with
Gabapentin in reducing pain intensity in patients with painful diabetic
neuropathy.
Methods : Randomized, pretest-postest design was used in this
experimental study. The subjects was divided by 3 groups, the first used
Gabapentin, the second used Amitriptyline, and the third used in
combination treatment, which of 12 patients for each group. Pain
intensity was measured three times by using the Numerical Rating
Scale (NRS), the first was before treatment, then followed in day 7th
after treatment and in day 14th after the dose titrated. To determine the
mean change in pain intensity before and after treatment in all three
groups, Anova test (p<0,05) was used.
Results : From 12 samples for each group, either Gabapentin,
Amitriptyline, and in combination, produced pain intensity reduction
significantly (p = 0.0001) in day 14th after treatment. Gabapentin alone
is not more inferior compared with combination treatment (p = 0.666) for
reducing pain intensity, but there was significantly difference (p = 0.013)
in reduction pain intensity when compared with Amitriptyline alone.
Gabapentine alone cause fewer adverse effects (2. 8%) compared to the
two other groups.
Conclusion : This study suggested that the use of Gabapentin alone be
more better than Amitriptyline alone and their combination for the
treatment of pain in patients with painful diabetic neuropathy. | en_US |
