Effects of Venlafaxine on Chronic Neuropathic Pain Following Spinal Cord Injury

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2008-08-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the pain-relieving effects of venlafaxine hydrochloride (Effexor) in chronic neuropathic (burning, shock-like, electric) pain after spinal cord injury (SCI). Although a number of medications have been used to treat SCI pain, no drug has been consistently helpful, and, therefore, many people with SCI continue to have difficult chronic pain. Venlafaxine is a new anti-depressant drug that has not been tested for use in SCI neuropathic pain, but has been helpful for other types of neuropathic pain.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: US Department of Veterans Affairs; VA Office of Research and Development
• Treatments: Venlafaxine Hydrochloride

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• participant must be able to swallow pills

• fluent in English

• incomplete or complete spinal cord injury

• presence of at least moderately severe neuropathic pain at or below the level of injury

• spinal cord injury at least 2 year prior to entering the study

• pain for at least 6 months prior to entering the study

• spinal cord injury level above L1

• participants on anticonvulsants are considered

• approval of primary physician

Exclusion Criteria:

• pregnant women, or those contemplating pregnancy

• prior history of use of Venlafaxine hydrochloride (Effexor)

• current use of MAOI medications

• persons who have a recent (past year) history of alcohol or drug abuse

• persons with a history of renal disease, heart disease or uncontrolled hypertension, liver disease or hepatic cirrhosis, active major medical or psychiatric illness

• persons with a significant post-traumatic encephalopathy from head trauma sustained at SCI

• persons with tardive dyskinesia or narrow angle glaucoma