| Author/Editor | Stepanović, Aleksander; Kolšek, Marko; Kersnik, Janko; Erčulj, Vanja | |
| Title | Prevention of post-herpetic neuralgia using transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation | |
| Translated title | [Prävention von Post-Zoster-Neuralgie durch transkutane elektrische Nervenstimulation] | |
| Type | članek | |
| Publication year | 2014 | |
| ISSN | 0043-5325 - Wiener klinische Wochenschrift | |
| Language | eng | |
| Abstract | Background P ost-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common complication of herpes zoster (HZ) and is dif - ficult to treat. The role of antiviral agents and nonphar - macologic procedures in preventing PHN is not entirely clear. Recent retrospective study showed that transcu - taneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) may com - pletely prevent PHN. The aim of our study was to identify predictors for PHN and evaluate the treatment with anti - viral agents and TENS. Methods W e conducted a multicenter prospec - tive, randomized intervention study in patients with a new onset of HZ. Immunocompromised patients were excluded. Patients were randomly assigned to four groups (TENS, Antiviral agents, TENS and Antiviral agents, and Control Group). At the inclusion, the following criteria were recorded: age, gender, duration of pain before the onset of the rash, the number of efflorescence, the inten - sity of pain, and the analgesic prescribed. During the follow-up, we recorded a spontaneous pain sensation, pain intensity, and presence of allodynia, hyperalgesia, or paraesthesia. Results W ith each additional year of age, the odds for the presence of PHN with unchanged values of other predictors increase (odds ratio (OR) = 1.03 [1.01; 1.05], p = 0.001). The same is true for the initial intensity of the pain (OR = 1.25 [1.09; 1.43], p = 0.002). The odds for acute and subacute herpetic neuralgia are greater than for PHN. The odds for subacute herpetic neuralgia are the lowest in the group treated with TENS (OR = 0.15 [0.05; 0.47], p = 0.001). Conclusions PHN c annot be completely prevented. TENS as a single therapy was found the most successful among the tested treatments in reducing the incidence of subacute herpetic neuralgia. | |
| Keywords | herpes zoster postherpetic neuralgia transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation herpes zoster postherpetično nevralgijo transkutana električna stimulacija živcev |