Trial of amitriptyline for relief of pain in amputees: results of a randomized controlled study.

Author(s): Robinson LR, Czerniecki JM, Ehde DM, Edwards WT, Judish DA, Goldberg ML, Campbell KM, Smith DG, Jensen MP

Affiliation(s): Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98104, USA. lorenzo@u.washington.edu

Publication date & source: 2004-01, Arch Phys Med Rehabil., 85(1):1-6.

Publication type: Clinical Trial; Multicenter Study; Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether amitriptyline is more effective than placebo in improving phantom limb pain or residual limb pain. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial of amitriptyline for 6 weeks. SETTING: University hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-nine persons with amputation-related pain lasting more than 6 months. INTERVENTION: Six-week trial of amitriptyline (titrated up to 125 mg/d) or an active placebo (benztropine mesylate). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Analyses were conducted to examine whether there was a medication group effect on the primary outcomes (average pain intensity) and secondary outcome measures (disability, satisfaction with life, handicap). RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the treatment groups in outcome variables when controlling for initial pain scores. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings do not support the use of amitriptyline in the treatment of postamputation pain.