Efficacy of Analgesics in Chronic Pain: A Series of N-of-1 Studies
- 30 April 1998
- journal article
- case report
- Published by Elsevier BV in Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
- Vol. 15 (4), 244-252
- https://doi.org/10.1016/s0885-3924(98)00369-8
Abstract
Rational drug treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain remains a challenge. Although commonly prescribed, the true efficacy of opioid analgesics or of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs remains to be established. Using an N-of-1 design, eight patients with regional cervicobrachial pain received ibuprofen 800 mg/day, codeine 120 mg/day, or placebo during six 2-week periods. Clinical outcomes were assessed by pain diary, VAS of pain and change in pain, and uptime/downtime estimates. In none of the five subjects who completed the 12-week trial was analgesic efficacy of either drug shown. Major psychosocial and other medical influences on the subjects’ status were encountered. The N-of-1 methodology is appropriate for evaluating true efficacy of pharmacotherapy in patients with regional musculoskeletal pain.Keywords
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