Efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin type A combined with pulsed radiofrequency in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia / 实用医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective Exploring the efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin type A(BTX-A)combined with pulsed radiofrequency(PRF)in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia(PHN).Methods A total of 80 patients with PHN were collected.They were randomly divided into experimental group(Group B)and control group(Group C),Group B was treated with BTX-A intradermal injection combined with PRF,and Group C was treated with lidocaine intradermal injection combined with PRF.Numeric pain score(NRS),Simplified McGill Pain Questionnaire(SF-MPQ)and Sleep Quality Score(QS)were used to assess the patients'pain level and sleep quality preoperatively,1,3,and 7 days postoperatively,and 1,2,and 3 months postoperatively.The patients'postoperative adverse reac-tions were collected.Interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and calcitonin gene-related peptide(CGRP)levels in patients'serum were measured preoperatively and 3 days postoperatively.Results The NRS scores,SF-MPQ scores,and QS scores of group B and group C were significantly lower at all postoperative time points compared to preoperative ones(P<0.05).The NRS and SF-MPQ score were significantly lower in group B at 1,2,and 3 months postoperatively compared with group C(P<0.05);and group B had significantly lower QS scores at 2 and 3 months postoperatively(P<0.05).The effective rate of pain relief at 3 months postoperatively in group B(90%)was statistically signifi-cant(P<0.05)compared with group C(56.7%).No serious adverse reactions occurred in either group.The levels of IL-1β and CGRP in serum of patients in both groups were significantly decreased at 3 days after surgery compared with the preoperative period,and the degree of decrease of IL-1β and CGRP in group B was more significant than that in group C(P<0.05).Conclusion BTX-A combined with PRF treatment for PHN can effectively reduce its pain level,improve the quality of sleep,and is safe.