Postherpetic Neuralgia
Conditions
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to investigate, whether leech therapy for the treatment of postherpetic pain improves pain and sensory function. Therefore 20 patients with PHN undergoing leech therapy at the investigators outpatient clinic will be included in this observational trial.
Detailed description
see above
Interventions
PROCEDURELeech therapy
Leech therapy: Using medicinal leeches After piercing the skin and injecting anticoagulants (hirudin) and anaesthetics, they suck out blood of the incision. After 30 to 60 minutes they fall off and the wound -after a short time of after-bleeding- is bandaged up.
Sponsors
Universität Duisburg-Essen
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 85 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* 18 to 85 years of age * \>6 months thoracal postherpetic neuralgia * informed consent
Exclusion criteria
* if leech therapy is contraindicated * physical and mental disability to participate in the study examinations
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pain intensity | 28 days | Pain intensity measured on a visual analogue scale (0-100mm, 100mm indicating worst pain imaginable) |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pain quality | 28 Days | sensory and affective dimensions of pain (measured by the McGill Pain Questionnaire) |
| Sensory perception and pain thresholds | 28 days | Sensory perception and pain thresholds measured by the quantitative sensory testing battery (Rolke, R., Magerl, W., Campbell, K. A., Schalber, C., Caspari, S., Birklein, F. and Treede, R.-D. (2006), Quantitative sensory testing: a comprehensive protocol for clinical trials. European Journal of Pain, 10: 77.) |
| Impairment | 28 days | functional impairment due to zoster pain, measured bey the zoster brief pain inventory and the zoster impact questionnaire (Coplan P, Schmader K, Nikas A, Chan I, Choo P, Levin M, Johnson G, Bauer M, Williams HM, Kapla KM, Guess HA, Oxman MN. (2004). Development of a measure of the burden of pain due to herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia for prevention trials: adaptation of the brief pain inventory. J Pain, 5(6), 344-356.) |
| Pain intensity | 3 months | pain intensity on a 100mm Visual Analogue Scale |
| quality of life | 3 months | quality of life measured by the SF36 |
| Safety | 28 days | all adverse and serious adverse events |
| Quality of life | 28 days | quality of life measured by the SF36 |
Countries
Germany
Outcome results
None listed