Antiepileptic medications and antidepressants for neuropathic pain: a
meta-analysis
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of antidepressants and
antiepileptic drugs in the treatment of neuropathic pain. Methods:
Cochrane library, PubMed, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang, and other databases
were searched using RevMan 5.3 software for data analysis to collect
randomized controlled studies comparing antiepileptics and
antidepressants for neuropathic pain. Results: This study enrolled a
total of 1073 participants in 16 randomized controlled trials.
Antiepileptic drugs and antidepressants ought to improve neuropathic
pain patients’ treatment scores [OR=1.10, 95% CI(0.64 to 1.89), P
=0.74], pain relief rate [OR=1.10, 95% CI(0.64 to 1.89), P
=0.74], and incidence of adverse reactions [OR=0.94, 95% CI(0.48 to
1.85), P =0.87] without showing a statistically significant
difference; The results of the single-agent study revealed that only
pregabalin, as opposed to venlafaxine, had a significant effect on pain
scores; the subgroup analysis revealed that publication bias had no
effect on the study’s findings. The heterogeneity may stem primarily
from different follow-up durations and drug types. Conclusion: There is
no clear distinction between adverse effects and effectiveness.