Biomaterial Database

Do corticosteroids prevent post-herpetic neuralgia? 1980

K Keczkes, and A M Basheer

Forty otherwise healthy patients over 50 years of age with early, severe painful herpes zoster were randomly allocated to two groups for treatment. Twenty patients received prednisolone 40 mg daily with gradual reduction over a period of 4 weeks, whilst the other twenty patients received carbamazepine 100 mg four times daily. Thirteen of the twenty patients (65%) in the carbamazepine treated group developed post-herpetic neuralgia lasting up to 2 years, whilst only three of the twenty prednisolone treated patients (15%) had post-herpetic neuralgia lasting up to 6 months only. Thus the incidence and duration of post-herpetic neuralgia were considerably redudced in the prednisolone treated group. In neither group did disseminated zoster or other complications occur.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009437	Neuralgia	Intense or aching pain that occurs along the course or distribution of a peripheral or cranial nerve.	Nerve Pain,Neurodynia,Paroxysmal Nerve Pain,Neuralgia, Atypical,Neuralgia, Iliohypogastric Nerve,Neuralgia, Ilioinguinal,Neuralgia, Perineal,Neuralgia, Stump,Neuralgia, Supraorbital,Neuralgia, Vidian,Neuropathic Pain,Atypical Neuralgia,Atypical Neuralgias,Iliohypogastric Nerve Neuralgia,Iliohypogastric Nerve Neuralgias,Ilioinguinal Neuralgia,Ilioinguinal Neuralgias,Nerve Neuralgia, Iliohypogastric,Nerve Neuralgias, Iliohypogastric,Nerve Pain, Paroxysmal,Nerve Pains,Nerve Pains, Paroxysmal,Neuralgias,Neuralgias, Atypical,Neuralgias, Iliohypogastric Nerve,Neuralgias, Ilioinguinal,Neuralgias, Perineal,Neuralgias, Stump,Neuralgias, Supraorbital,Neuralgias, Vidian,Neurodynias,Neuropathic Pains,Pain, Nerve,Pain, Neuropathic,Pain, Paroxysmal Nerve,Pains, Nerve,Pains, Neuropathic,Pains, Paroxysmal Nerve,Paroxysmal Nerve Pains,Perineal Neuralgia,Perineal Neuralgias,Stump Neuralgia,Stump Neuralgias,Supraorbital Neuralgia,Supraorbital Neuralgias,Vidian Neuralgia,Vidian Neuralgias
D011239	Prednisolone	A glucocorticoid with the general properties of the corticosteroids. It is the drug of choice for all conditions in which routine systemic corticosteroid therapy is indicated, except adrenal deficiency states.	Di-Adreson-F,Predate,Predonine,Di Adreson F,DiAdresonF
D002220	Carbamazepine	A dibenzazepine that acts as a sodium channel blocker. It is used as an anticonvulsant for the treatment of grand mal and psychomotor or focal SEIZURES. It may also be used in the management of BIPOLAR DISORDER, and has analgesic properties.	Amizepine,Carbamazepine Acetate,Carbamazepine Anhydrous,Carbamazepine Dihydrate,Carbamazepine Hydrochloride,Carbamazepine L-Tartrate (4:1),Carbamazepine Phosphate,Carbamazepine Sulfate (2:1),Carbazepin,Epitol,Finlepsin,Neurotol,Tegretol
D005260	Female		Females
D006562	Herpes Zoster	An acute infectious, usually self-limited, disease believed to represent activation of latent varicella-zoster virus (HERPESVIRUS 3, HUMAN) in those who have been rendered partially immune after a previous attack of CHICKENPOX. It involves the SENSORY GANGLIA and their areas of innervation and is characterized by severe neuralgic pain along the distribution of the affected nerve and crops of clustered vesicles over the area. (From Dorland, 27th ed)	Shingles,Zona,Zoster
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor