fluvoxamine and Sciatica

At present time tricyclic antidepressants (TA) are important tools in therapy of chronic pain. However administration of TA produce a number of side effects. Antidepressants of new generation, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) induce less side effects in patients than TA. The aim of the study was to estimate an analgetic effect of antidepressant of new generation--fluvoksamine (Fevarin) in treatment of ischialgia and comparison with an analgetic effect of impramine and tramadol--opoid receptors antagonist. 70 patients with sociatic neuralgia were included to the research. They were at random divided into three groups. First one was treated with tramadol consisted of 22 persons (18 men and 4 women, average age--42.9 y.), second one treated with impramine consisted of 24 persons (18 men and 6 women, average age--43.2 y.) and third one treated with fluvoksamine consisted of 24 persons (15 men and 9 women, average age--42.3 y.). Observation time was 19 days. Pain intensity was evaluated in four degree descriptive scale. Before and after treatment clinical symptoms of depression were estimated in groups of patients treated with impramine or fluvoksamine by Zung's Depression Scale. There were no statistically significant differences in analgetic effect after treatment with fluvoksamine or impiramine. There was meaningly few number of side effects in the group treated with fluvoksamine.. Fluvoksamine and impramine have similar effectiveness in treatment of ischialgia, that is why fluvoksamine should be considered as medication when TA are contraindicated.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Analgesics, Opioid; Antidepressive Agents; Female; Fluvoxamine; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Imipramine; Male; Middle Aged; Sciatica; Tramadol; Treatment Outcome