Search PubMed⌕ Search
Home/Archive/PubMed

PubMed · 10342425

Topical EMLA pre-treatment fails to decrease the pain induced by 1% topical capsaicin.

Perry N Fuchs·Marco Pappagallo·Richard A Meyer
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Topical capsaicin has been reported to be beneficial for the treatment of neurogenic pain. However, due to the burning pain associated with topical capsaicin, many patients discontinue treatment before therapeutic benefits are obtained. This study assessed the efficacy of EMLA (eutectic mixture of 2.5% prilocaine and 2.5% lidocaine) to block pain induced by the topical application of 1% capsaicin. Nine healthy subjects (five males and four females) participated in the study. High dose topical capsaicin (1%) was applied to a 2.5 x 2.5 cm region of both volar forearms for 6 h. One arm was pretreated (for 2 h) and cotreated with EMLA, and the other arm served as vehicle control. Average and peak pain ratings were recorded at 15-min intervals using a 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst possible pain) scale. Average and peak pain ratings were significantly lower at the EMLA site during the first 15-30 min of capsaicin treatment. However, for the remaining 5.5 h of capsaicin treatment, the pain ratings at the EMLA and vehicle sites were not significantly different. The 6 h treatment with high dose topical capsaicin (1%) produced significant desensitization to heat stimuli that was not affected by EMLA treatment. EMLA fails to produce a long lasting attenuation of the pain induced by topical application of 1% capsaicin. These results argue against the use of EMLA to block pain to topical capsaicin during the treatment of neurogenic pain.

Explore related subjects

Administration, TopicalAdultAnesthetics, LocalCapsaicinDrug ToleranceFemaleHumansLidocaineLidocaine, Prilocaine Drug CombinationMaleMiddle AgedNeuralgiaPain ThresholdPrilocaineClinical TrialControlled Clinical TrialJournal ArticleResearch Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Perry N Fuchs, Marco Pappagallo, Richard A Meyer. 1999. Topical EMLA pre-treatment fails to decrease the pain induced by 1% topical capsaicin.. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0304-3959(98)00260-7

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

PubMed2007

Endosonographic and manometric evaluation of internal anal sphincter in patients with chronic anal fissure and its correlation with clinical outcome after topical glyceryl trinitrate therapy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Anorectal pressure studies have demonstrated internal anal sphincter (IAS) hypertonia in patients with chronic anal fissure. It is unknown however, if these changes in IAS function are associated with any abnormality in sphincter morphology. The first aim was to investigate the clinical characteristics and the manometric and endosonographic findings of the IAS in a cohort of patients with chronic anal fissure. The second aim was to investigate the association between these findings and the outcome with topical Glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients who presented with chronic anal fissure from November 1999 to May 2004 were included after failure of conservative therapy. Anorectal manometry and anal endosonography were performed before treatment with 0.2% GTN ointment twice daily was initiated. Patients were evaluated after 8 weeks. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-four patients (66 women, mean age, 45.2 +/- 14.8 years) were included. Hypertonia of the IAS was found in 84 (68%) patients. The mean maximum IAS thickness was 3.6 +/- 0.76 mm (1.6-5.5). An abnormally thick IAS, adjusted by age, was observed in 113 (91.1%) patients. We found no correlation between resting pressure and IAS thickness (r = 0.074; p = 0.41). At 8 weeks, 52 patients (42%) had healed with complete symptoms resolution. No statistically significant differences were observed when clinical features and manometric and endosonographic findings were compared between healing and no-healing fissures. CONCLUSION: The majority of patients with chronic anal fissure present an abnormally thick IAS. Clinical, manometric and endosonographic features had no association with outcome after GTN treatment.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed2007

Topical use of antifibrinolytic agents reduces postoperative bleeding: a double-blind, prospective, randomized study.

OBJECTIVE: Postoperative bleeding is still one of the most common complications of cardiac surgery. Antifibrinolytic agents successfully reduce bleeding, but there are controversies concerning adverse effects after their systemic use. By topical application of antifibrinolytic agents in pericardial cavity, most of these effects are avoided. We compared the effects of topically applied aprotinin, tranexamic acid and placebo on postoperative bleeding and transfusion requirements. METHODS: In this single-center prospective, randomized, double-blind trial, 300 adult cardiac patients were randomized into three groups to receive one million IU of aprotinin (AP group), 2.5g of tranexamic acid (TA group) or placebo (PL group) topically before sternal closure. Groups were comparable with respect to all preoperative and intraoperative variables. Postoperative bleeding, transfusion requirements and hematologic parameters were evaluated. RESULTS: Postoperative bleeding within first 12-h period (AP group 433+/-294 [350; 360]ml, TA group 391+/-255 [350; 305]ml, PL group 613+/-505 [525; 348]ml), as well as cumulative blood loss within 24h (AP group 726+/-432 [640; 525]ml, TA group 633+/-343 [545; 335]ml, PL group 903+/-733 [800; 445]ml), showed statistically significant inter-group differences (both p<0.001). Bleeding rates values were significantly higher in placebo group compared to the groups treated with antifibrinolytic agents (AP and TA groups) concerning both variables. Although TA group showed the lowest values, no statistical differences between TA and AP groups were found. Inter-group difference of blood product requirements was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Topical use of either tranexamic acid or aprotinin efficiently reduces postoperative bleeding. TA seems to be at least as potent as aprotinin, but potentially safer and with better cost-effectiveness ratio.

Administration, Topical↗