Table 6.
Efficacy outcome reporting for each included intervention
| Intervention | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pregabalin | Lidocaine plaster | Duloxetine | |
| Mean Pain Scores-No. studies (no. patients receiving the intervention)+ reporting reduction in mean pain scores compared to baseline | |||
| No. studies reporting data for any pain intensity outcome | 7 | 3 | 1 |
| McGill questionnaire | 2* (109) | ||
| Pain reduction measured by VRS | 2* (81) | ||
| Pain intensity measured by NRS | 1* (30) | 1NR (32) | |
| Pain intensity measured by BPI | 2* (73) | ||
| Pain score measured by NPS-10, NPS-8 and NPS-4 | 1* (71) | ||
| Pain intensity measured by present pain intensity (PPI) | 1* (81) | ||
| Percentage pain score reduction | 1NR (16) | ||
| Pain severity measured by VAS | 1* (18) | ||
| Quality of life-No. studies (no. patients receiving the intervention)+ reporting improvements in quality of life compared to baseline | |||
| No. studies reporting data for any quality of life outcome | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| SF-MPQ total, sensory and affective score | 1* | ||
| Quality of life measured by the SF-12 | 1* (55) | ||
| Sleep interference measured by NRS | 1* (55), 1NS (30) | ||
| Quality of sleep measured by VRS | 1* (28) | ||
| Quality of sleep (instrument not reported) | 1* (3) | ||
| Inference of mood measured by VRS | 1* (28) | ||
| Daily activity measured by VRS | 1* (28) | ||
| Function interference measured by NRS | 1* (30) | ||
| Psychological stress measured by the Short Questionnaire on Current Burden | 1* (55) | ||
| Pain associated distress measured by NRS | 1* (30) | ||
| PGIC | 1* (18) | ||
| Responders-No. studies (no. patients receiving the intervention)+ reporting data for outcome | |||
| No. studies reporting data for any pain relief outcome | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Complete pain relief | 1 (53) | 2 (48) | |
| range of percentages reported | 25% | 13-22% | |
| A lot of pain relief | 2 (48) | ||
| range of percentages reported | 25-34% | ||
| Moderate pain relief | 2 (48) | ||
| range of percentages reported | 33-44% | ||
| Pain reduction of ≥ 50% | 3 (158) | 2 (7) | |
| range of percentages reported | 33-49% | 100%a | |
| Pain reduction 10-50% | 2 (105) | 1 (33) | |
| range of percentages reported | 17%b | NRc | |
| Non-responders | 3 (132) | 2 (52) | |
| range of percentages reported | 26-46% | 6-20% | |
*Statistically significant; NS-not statistically significant; NR-statistical significance not reported.
+Numbers of patients receiving the intervention of interest.
aTwo case studies of 3 and 4 patients: the former reported all patients achieved 50% reduction in pain score, the latter reported improvements in all patients in an inconsistent manner.
bOne study reported that 4 of 24 patients achieved pain relief of 10-25%. The second study reported 38 out of 78 evaluable patients experienced ≥ 30% reduction in pain from baseline.
cOne study stated that patients experienced pain relief of 10%-50%, however it was unclear whether this referred to all patients.