Combining Pregabalin With Duloxetine Helps Treat Fibromyalgia Effectively

Combining pregabalin, an anti-seizure drug, with duloxetine, an antidepressant, can safely improve outcomes in fibromyalgia, suggest researchers.

Fibromyalgia is a medical condition characterized by chronic widespread pain typically accompanied by fatigue, as well as sleep, mood and memory problems. Queen's University researcher Ian Gilron has uncovered a more effective way of treating fibromyalgia.

The results of the trial suggest that combining pregabalin, an anti-seizure drug, with duloxetine, an antidepressant, can safely improve outcomes in fibromyalgia, including not only pain relief, but also physical function and overall quality of life. Until now, these drugs have been proven, individually, to treat fibromyalgia pain.

Fibromyalgia - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Support Groups
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic health condition charecterized by widespread pain and stiffness in the muscles, joints and tendons. It is considered to be a co-morbid disorder.

‘Combining pregabalin, an anti-seizure drug, with duloxetine, an antidepressant, can safely improve outcomes in fibromyalgia.’

"Previous evidence supports added benefits with some drug combinations in fibromyalgia," says, Dr. Gilron (Anesthesiology, Biomedical Sciences). "We are very excited to present the first evidence demonstrating superiority of a duloxetine-pregabalin combination over either drug alone."

Fibromyalgia was initially thought to be a musculoskeletal disorder. Research now suggests it's a disorder of the central nervous system - the brain and spinal cord. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the level and activity of brain chemicals responsible for processing pain signals.

"The condition affects about 1.5 to 5% of Canadians - more than twice as many women as men. It can have a devastating on the lives of patients and their families," explains Dr. Gilron. "Current treatments for fibromyalgia are either ineffective or intolerable for many patients."

Research Sheds Light on Fibromyalgia and the Role of Brain Connectivity in Pain Inhibition
Despite extensive research, the cause of fibromyalgia, a chronic pain syndrome is not known.

This study is the latest in a series of clinical trials - funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) - that Dr. Gilron and his colleagues have conducted on combination therapies for chronic pain conditions. By identifying and studying promising drug combinations, their research is showing how physicians can make the best use of current treatments available to patients.

"The value of such combination approaches is they typically involve drugs that have been extensively studied and are well known to health-care providers," says Dr. Gilron.

Clinic Study Shows Young People Report Worse Fibromyalgia Than Older Patients
A Mayo Clinic study shows that young and middle-aged fibromyalgia patients report worse symptoms and poorer quality of life than older patients.

This new research was published in the journal Pain.

Source-Newswise

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