[Comparison of the clinical efficacy of continuous radiofrequency and pulsed radiofrequency in the treatment of elderly patients with thoracic postherpetic neuralgia].
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a common long-term complication of herpes zoster infection and severely impairs patients' quality of life. This study aims to compare the clinical efficacy of continuous radiofrequency (CRF) and pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) in the treatment of elderly patients with PHN.
A total of 181 elderly inpatients with PHN who underwent CRF (CRF group, n=101) or PRF (PRF group, n=80) treatment targeting the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of the thoracic spinal nerve at the Department of Pain Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, between March 2020 and March 2022 were enrolled. Patients were followed up at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after treatment. Pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), sleep quality using the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), anxiety using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7), and depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The incidence of complications and the rate of pain recurrence were also recorded and compared between the 2 groups.
At all follow-up time points after treatment, VAS, AIS, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 scores in both groups were significantly lower than those before treatment (all P<0.001). At 1 week postoperatively, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in any of these scores (all P>0.05). However, at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment, VAS scores in the CRF group were significantly lower than those in the PRF group (all P<0.001). In addition, AIS, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 scores were also significantly lower in the CRF group than in the PRF group (all P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative localized numbness was higher in the CRF group than in the PRF group (P<0.05), whereas the 1-year pain recurrence rate was significantly lower in the CRF group (P<0.05).
Both CRF and PRF effectively alleviate pain and improve sleep quality, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in elderly patients with PHN; however, CRF demonstrates superior long-term efficacy compared to PRF.
A total of 181 elderly inpatients with PHN who underwent CRF (CRF group, n=101) or PRF (PRF group, n=80) treatment targeting the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of the thoracic spinal nerve at the Department of Pain Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, between March 2020 and March 2022 were enrolled. Patients were followed up at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after treatment. Pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), sleep quality using the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), anxiety using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7), and depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The incidence of complications and the rate of pain recurrence were also recorded and compared between the 2 groups.
At all follow-up time points after treatment, VAS, AIS, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 scores in both groups were significantly lower than those before treatment (all P<0.001). At 1 week postoperatively, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in any of these scores (all P>0.05). However, at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment, VAS scores in the CRF group were significantly lower than those in the PRF group (all P<0.001). In addition, AIS, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 scores were also significantly lower in the CRF group than in the PRF group (all P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative localized numbness was higher in the CRF group than in the PRF group (P<0.05), whereas the 1-year pain recurrence rate was significantly lower in the CRF group (P<0.05).
Both CRF and PRF effectively alleviate pain and improve sleep quality, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in elderly patients with PHN; however, CRF demonstrates superior long-term efficacy compared to PRF.