Pharmacologic management part 2: lesser-studied neuropathic pain diseases

Abstract

This second part of a review of the pharmacologic management of neuropathic pain diseases describes the current treatment options for three lesser-studied neuropathic syndromes: Central poststroke pain, spinal cord injury, and complex regional pain syndrome II. Diagnosis can be difficult in patients with these syndromes, because the pain experienced is much greater and of a different type than would normally be expected following a stroke or injury to the spinal cord or a peripheral nerve. Even when an accurate and timely diagnosis is made, treatment options are limited and frequently suboptimal. However, the results of published trials do support the use of anticonvulsants and/or tricyclic antidepressants as first-line pharmacotherapy in these three neuropathic pain syndromes. To maximize treatment outcomes, future research must: Continue to more fully elucidate the relationship between the signs and symptoms of pain and the underlying pathophysiology; Delineate the natural history of central poststroke pain, spinal cord injury, and complex regional pain syndrome; Identify patient-related factors that may indicate an increased risk of developing neuropathic pain following stroke or nerve injury; Investigate emerging treatments that target underlying pain mechanisms.