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Capsaicin 8 % Patch: A Review in Peripheral Neuropathic Pain
Celeste B Burness1, Paul L McCormack2
1Springer, Private Bag 65901, Mairangi Bay, 0754, Auckland, New Zealand. demail@springer.com.
Drugs
|December 16, 2015
Summary
The capsaicin 8% patch effectively treats peripheral neuropathic pain, including painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy and postherpetic neuralgia. It offers sustained pain relief with an acceptable safety profile, showing comparable efficacy to pregabalin.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Dermatology
- Pain Management
Background:
- Peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP) is a debilitating condition with limited treatment options.
- The capsaicin 8% patch (QUTENZA®) targets transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 channels to alleviate pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the capsaicin 8% patch in various peripheral neuropathic pain conditions.
- To compare the capsaicin 8% patch with placebo, low-concentration capsaicin, and pregabalin.
Main Methods:
- Multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were conducted.
- Participants received single or multiple 30-60 minute applications of the capsaicin 8% patch.
- Pain scores, sleep quality, and adverse events were assessed.
Main Results:
- Significant pain relief and improved sleep quality were observed in patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (PDPN).
- Sustained pain relief was noted over 52 weeks with no neurological safety concerns.
- The capsaicin 8% patch demonstrated non-inferiority to pregabalin in nondiabetic PNP and superior efficacy to low-concentration capsaicin in postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).
- Results for HIV-associated neuropathy (HIV-AN) were equivocal.
Conclusions:
- The capsaicin 8% patch is an effective treatment for various peripheral neuropathic pain conditions, including PDPN and PHN.
- It offers sustained pain relief and a favorable safety profile, with transient application-site reactions being the most common adverse events.
- The patch represents a valuable therapeutic option for managing neuropathic pain.
