Impact of Topical 5% Lidocaine-Medicated Plasters On Sleep And Quality Of Life In Patients With Postherpetic Neuralgia

Abstract

Aim: To determine the impact of 5% lidocaine-medicated plasters on sleep, quality of life and pain in 265 patients with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Patients & methods: An 8-week, open-label arm of a double-blind controlled withdrawal study. Results: Patients treated with 5% lidocaine had less trouble falling asleep, used less sleep medication, had fewer awakenings due to pain at night or in the morning and their perception of quality of life was improved. The 15 pain descriptors in the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire were improved from baseline to week 8, with a decrease in the proportion of patients reporting ‘severe’ pain and an increase in the number reporting ‘none/mild’ pain. Conclusion: 5% lidocaine-medicated plasters provide benefits beyond pain relief for patients with postherpetic neuralgia.

KEYWORDS:

• lidocaine plasters
• pain relief
• postherpetic neuralgia
• quality of life
• sleep improvement
• topical therapy

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the clinical investigators who took part in the study, I Bösl and B Buchheister (Global Innovation – Clinical Development, Grünenthal GmbH) for critically reviewing the manuscript.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This study was funded by Grünenthal GmbH. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Editorial support was provided by Content Ed Net (Germany) and was funded by Grünenthal GmbH.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by Grünenthal GmbH. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. Editorial support was provided by Content Ed Net (Germany) and was funded by Grünenthal GmbH.