Articles: palliative-care.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Amitriptyline relieves diabetic neuropathy pain in patients with normal or depressed mood.
In a randomized, double-blind crossover study, 29 patients with painful diabetic neuropathy received 6 weeks of amitriptyline and 6 weeks of an "active" placebo that mimicked amitriptyline side effects. Amitriptyline was superior to placebo in relieving pain in weeks 3 through 6. ⋯ Amitriptyline analgesia was similar in depressed and nondepressed subgroups and was not associated with mood improvement. We conclude that amitriptyline relieves pain in diabetic neuropathy; this effect is independent of mood elevation.
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Cancer treatment reports · Jul 1985
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialAction of oral methylprednisolone in terminal cancer patients: a prospective randomized double-blind study.
A 14-day, randomized, double-blind crossover trial was carried out comparing an oral glucocorticoid, methylprednisolone (MP), against placebo for the relief of pain and other symptoms in 40 terminally ill cancer patients. After the 14-day, double-blind phase was completed, all patients were given MP for 20 days. The daily dose of MP was 32 mg, and end points of the study were pain, psychiatric status, appetite, nutritional status, daily activity, and performance. ⋯ MP was preferred over placebo by 23 of the 31 patients (74%), and, in 22 of the 31 cases (71%), the investigator chose MP over placebo. No serious toxicity was found at the dose of MP used. It is concluded that MP increases the comfort of terminally ill cancer patients.