[Cymbalta in the treatment of chronic pain syndromes].

An open comparison study included 29 patients, aged 33-62 years, with chronic pain syndromes of the spine during at least 6 months. A main group (14 patients) received antidepressant cymbalta, an inhibitor of serotonin and noradrenalin reuptake, as an add-on drug. Data of general somatic and neurologic examination, depression level on the Beck Depression Inventory, pain intensity on the Visual Analogous Scale (VAS) were assessed on days 1, 7 and 42. Dynamics of patient's state and tolerability of the drug were assessed separately by a physician and a patient using a special questionnaire. The level of depression was significantly decreased (p<0,01) in the main group to the 42nd day. The intensity of pain syndrome on VAS was significantly lower compare to the control group to the 7th (p<0,05) and 42nd (p<0,01) days. The physician reported the marked improvement in 58% of patients of main group and in 14% of the control one. The improvement assessed by patients was found in 36% of patients of main group and in 7% of patients of control group. Side effects: nausea (28%), dry mouth (21%), constipations (14%), vertigo (21%), sleepiness (14%) were assessed by all but one patient as mild.