Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 1997
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialThe effects of pre-emptive treatment of postherpetic neuralgia with amitriptyline: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Seventy-two patients older than 60 years of age who received a diagnosis of herpes zoster (HZ) were entered into a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of daily amitriptyline 25 mg. Treatment with either amitriptyline or placebo continued for 90 days after diagnosis. Pain prevalence at 6 months was the primary outcome. Results showed that early treatment with low-dose amitriptyline reduced pain prevalence by more than one-half (p < 0.05; odds ratio, 2.9:1) This finding makes a strong case for the pre-emptive administration of amitriptyline, in combination with an antiviral drug, to elderly patients with acute herpes zoster.