Table 3.
Number of changesa from initialb to stablec therapy by condition and therapeutic class included in the prescription
| Number of patients | Changes to stable therapy in 1 year | ||||
| Initial Treatment Includes: | Treated (% all treatedd) | Followed >1 year (% treated) | Stable in 1 year (%followed) | Median | Range |
| Post-herpetic neuralgia: | |||||
| Total | 1414 | 828 (58.6) | 232 (28.0) | 3 | 0–20 |
| Antiepileptics | 248 (17.5) | 153 (61.7) | 46 (30.1) | 3 | 1–20 |
| Antidepressants (tricyclics) | 728 (51.5) | 422 (58.0) | 104 (24.6) | 2 | 0–11 |
| Antidepressants (other) | 39 (2.8) | 26 (66.7) | 10 (38.5) | 4 | 2–8 |
| Non-opioid analgesics | 529 (37.4) | 310 (58.6) | 103 (33.2) | 3 | 0–18 |
| Opioid analgesics | 504 (35.6) | 277 (55.0) | 92 (33.2) | 3 | 0–18 |
| Rubefacients/other topical antirheumatics | 150 (10.6) | 91 (60.7) | 29 (31.9) | 2 | 1–8 |
| Local anaesthetics | 8 (0.6) | 4 (50.0) | 2 (50.0) | 3 | 1–4 |
| Trigeminal neuralgia: | |||||
| Total | 1164 | 762 (65.5) | 168 (22.0) | 2 | 0–17 |
| Antiepileptics | 653 (56.1) | 433 (66.3) | 91 (21.0) | 2 | 0–17 |
| Antidepressants (tricyclics) | 318 (27.3) | 205 (64.5) | 43 (21.0) | 2 | 1–12 |
| Antidepressants (other) | 29 (2.5) | 16 (55.2) | 4 (25.0) | 2 | 1–5 |
| Non-opioid analgesics | 258 (22.2) | 169 (65.5) | 40 (23.7) | 2 | 0–17 |
| Opioid analgesics | 260 (22.3) | 165 (63.5) | 45 (27.3) | 3 | 1–17 |
| Rubefacients/other topical antirheumatics | 24 (2.1) | 14 (58.3) | 4 (28.6) | 6 | 2–12 |
| Local anaesthetics | 5 (0.4) | 3 (60.0) | 1 (33.3) | 4 | 4-4 |
| Phantom limb pain: | |||||
| Total | 40 | 27 (67.5) | 13 (48.1) | 3 | 1–53 |
| Antiepileptics | 11 (27.5) | 8 (72.7) | 2 (25.0) | 3 | 2–3 |
| Antidepressants (tricyclics) | 13 (32.5) | 8 (61.5) | 5 (62.5) | 3 | 1–36 |
| Antidepressants (other) | 4 (10.0) | 3 (75.0) | 3 (100.0) | 1 | 1–53 |
| Non-opioid analgesics | 13 (32.5) | 8 (61.5) | 3 (37.5) | 1 | 1–3 |
| Opioid analgesics | 16 (40.0) | 9 (56.3) | 5 (55.6) | 3 | 1–5 |
| Rubefacients/other topical antirheumatics | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| Local anaesthetics | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| Painful diabetic neuropathy: | |||||
| Total | 922 | 508 (55.1) | 161 (31.7) | 2 | 0–31 |
| Antiepileptics | 237 (25.7) | 107 (45.1) | 41 (38.3) | 2 | 0–16 |
| Antidepressants (tricyclics) | 404 (43.8) | 233 (57.7) | 73 (31.3) | 2 | 0–12 |
| Antidepressants (other) | 59 (6.4) | 30 (50.8) | 12 (40.0) | 4 | 1–8 |
| Non-opioid analgesics | 283 (30.7) | 171 (60.4) | 48 (28.1) | 2 | 0–31 |
| Opioid analgesics | 249 (27.0) | 137 (55.0) | 54 (39.4) | 2 | 0–31 |
| Rubefacients/other topical antirheumatics | 54 (5.9) | 34 (63.0) | 14 (41.2) | 2 | 1–8 |
| Local anaesthetics | 9 (1.0) | 8 (88.9) | 3 (37.5) | 1 | 1–7 |
aTreatment changes comprised each switch, discontinuation, new treatment or addition of a concomitant treatment, but not a change in dose. bStarted within 28 days of the first record of the disease. cMore than two prescriptions for the same treatment with less than 56 days between them. d Some patients had more than 1 therapeutic class in the initial therapy, percentages add to >100.