The prognosis with postherpetic neuralgia

• Published in: Pain (Amsterdam) Vol. 46; no. 2; pp. 195 - 199
• Main Authors: Watson, C.Peter N., Watt, Verna R., Chipman, Mary, Birkett, Nicholas, Evans, Ramon J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.08.1991; Elsevier
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; Analgesics - administration & dosage; Analgesics - therapeutic use; Antidepressive Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic Disease; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Herpes Zoster - complications; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neuralgia - etiology; Neuralgia - psychology; Neuralgia - therapy; Pain Measurement; Postherpetic neuralgia; Prognosis; Sex Factors; Viral diseases; Viral diseases with cutaneous or mucosal lesions and viral diseases of the eye; Postherpetic neuralgia; Prognosis; Human; Herpes zoster; Sequela; Duration; Infection; Chemotherapy; Chronic; Pain; Treatment; Follow up study; Viral disease; Neuralgia
• ISSN: 0304-3959; 1872-6623
• DOI: 10.1016/0304-3959(91)90076-A

One hundred and fifty-six patients with moderate to severe postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) were followed for up to 11 years. Nearly half of all patients were doing well at the final assessment (median 2 years) and more than half of these were on no therapy at this time. The most commonly used agents associated with a good outcome were antidepressants, topical capsaicin and analgesics of various kinds. Longer duration PHN appeared to have a worse prognosis. More of these patients were noted to be using some form of treatment at follow up. A group of patients seemed to follow a progressive course and were refractory to all treatments used in this study.