Sex Differences in N-Palmitoylethanolamide Effectiveness in Neuropathic Pain Associated with Lumbosciatalgia

SUMMARY

Background: Response to N-palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) appear to be influenced by hormonal changes. Objective: To evaluate sex differences in the effectiveness of PEA. Method: Patients with neuropathic pain resulting from lumbosciatalgia were assigned to conventional treatment plus PEA or conventional treatment. The pain variables were measured using a visual analog scale and quality of life was assessed. Results: One hundred and twelve patients were included. Significant differences were seen in men for all the variables. In women the differences were only significant for pain. A multivariate linear regression analysis showed a positive interaction between men and PEA treatment for the SF-12 mental component. Conclusion: Men treated with PEA are more likely to improve their quality of life regarding mental health, compared with women.

KEYWORDS::

• conservative treatment
• low back pain
• lumbar disc herniation
• lumbosciatica
• N-palmitoylethanolamide
• neuropatic pain
• sex

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no 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. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript. The authors thank Content Ed Net Madrid for editing the manuscript.

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.