Table 9.

Randomized Controlled trials on the Effective Orally Administered Drugs for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Study: CRPS Type I Criteria	Treatment	Results	Comment	Adverse Effects
Manicourt et al, Budapest criteria; P, R, PC, DB, C	Alendronate, 40 mg orally daily x 8w vs placebo; 40 patients, 20 per group	Alendronate significantly better	Patients who continued to the open-label phase had new or dramatic improvement	Upper gastrointestinal intolerance
Van de Vusse et al; IASP criteria; P, R, DB, PC, C	Gabapentin x 3w, titrated to 600 mg TID vs placebo, 2w washout, then 3w of crossover treatment; 58 patients, 29 per group	Significantly better pain relief with gabapentin during treatment, less in second period (washout), no significant effect when both periods were combined	Sensory deficit significantly reversed with gabapentin.	Dizziness, somnolence, lethargy
Groeneweg et al, Budapest criteria; P, R, PC	Tadalafil, 10 mg for 4w then 20 mg for another 84 vs placebo; 24 patients, 12 per group	Non-statistically significant change in temperature; statistically and clinically relevant decrease in pain with tadalafil	No difference in muscle strength between groups; interventions did not improve activity levels.	None

C: Crossover; DB: Double-blind; IASP: International Association for the Study of Pain; P: Prospective; R: Randomized