This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in JAMA  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Carl M. Mendel, MD; Robert F. Klein, MD; David A. Chappell, MD; Willard H. Dere, MD; Barry J. Gertz, MD, PhD; John H. Karam, MD; Thomas N. Lavin, MD; Carl Grunfeld, MD, PhD

JAMA. 1986;255(5):637-639.

Abstract
We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study of the effectiveness of amitriptyline and fluphenazine in alleviating the pain of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in six diabetic patients. Pain was evaluated by the patients with a graphic rating scale. A placebo response was found, but no additional effect of amitriptyline and fluphenazine was seen. Although the statistical power of this study was low, these data, when combined with a reevaluation of previous trials of amitriptyline and fluphenazine in the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy, indicate that there is no justification for the use of these agents in the treatment of painful neuropathy outside of large, controlled clinical trials. Depression as a possible cause of this condition should not go unnoted or untreated.

(JAMA 1986;255:637-639)

Author Affiliations
From the Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (Drs Mendel, Klein, Chappell, Dere, Gertz, Karam, Lavin, and Grunfeld); and the Metabolism Section, Medical Service, San Francisco Veterans Administration Medical Center (Dr Grunfeld).

Footnotes
Reprint requests to Metabolism Section (111F), San Francisco Veterans Administration Medical Center, 4150 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94121 (Dr Grunfeld).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Depression and Diabetic Neuropathy: A Complex Relationship
Geringer et al.
J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 1988;1:11-15.
ABSTRACT  

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathies
HARATI
ANN INTERN MED 1987;107:546-559.
ABSTRACT  

Review Article: Psychopharmacologic Treatment in Neurological Practice
Dubovsky and Ringel
Neurorehabil Neural Repair 1987;1:51-66.