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Doug Cavarocchi
For Release July 17, 1997
New treatment relieves severe foot pain in people with diabetes
MONTEREY -- Forty percent of those afflicted with diabetes suffer a nerve condition, neuropathy, which can sometimes cause burning foot pain so severe it restricts a patient's activity and even his or her ability to wear shoes. A new remedy using the drug Mexiletine helps relieve this pain and allows these patients to return to their former levels of activity, according to a study presented at the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society's (AOFAS) 13th Annual Summer Meeting.
"Neuropathy can result in debilitating, severe, burning pain. Patients feel like their feet are on fire," explained Robert Vander Griend, MD, Gainsville, Florida, author of this study. "Often this condition will prevent the patient from working or participating in activities, and many physicians think there is nothing that can be done beyond the use of anti-inflammatories or pain medications. However, all of the patients we treated had some degree of response to this medicine." About 50 percent had long lasting pain relief and were able to come off the medication, according to Dr. Vander Griend.
Thirty-five patients suffering painful diabetic neuropathy were treated with 150 mg of Mexiletine, a drug similar to the local anesthetic lidocaine, two or three times per day. The dose was adjusted based on the response to the treatment. This regimen continued for three months and then the medication was gradually stopped. If the pain returned, patients were started back at the lowest effective dose.
Thirty-two of the patients noticed an reduction in their pain, rating the improvement at 50 percent on average. Three subjects suffered side-effects (nausea) with the medication and could not continue with the study.
"Overall about 50 percent of the patients treated had long lasting improvement in their pain even after the medication was stopped," explained Dr. Vander Griend. "Most of the remaining patients who continued Mexiletine treatment after the three month period enjoyed a reduction in their pain as well." - 30 -
Press and patient information available at: http://www.aofas.org
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