Efficacy and safety of duloxetine versus placebo in adolescents with juvenile fibromyalgia: results from a randomized controlled trial

Duloxetine for fibromyalgia syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

The optimal dose of duloxetine in the management of fibromyalgia remains still controversial. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate efficacy and safety of duloxetine was conducted. The outcomes of interests were to assess changes in Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), and Clinical Global Impression (CGI). The rate of of adverse events and those leading to therapy discontinuation were also investigated.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study followed the 2020 PRISMA guidelines. The literature search started in December 2022 accessing PubMed, Google scholar, Embase, and Scopus databases. All the RCTs investigating the efficacy and safety of daily administration of duloxetine for fibromyalgia were accessed. Studies reporting quantitative data under the outcomes of interest, and including a minimum of 10 patients who completed a minimum of 4 weeks follow-up, were included. Studies on combined pharmacological and non-pharmacological managements for fibromyalgia were not considered.

RESULTS

Data from 3432 patients (11 RCTs) were included. The mean age of the patients was 46.4 ± 10.7 years old, and the mean BMI 25.3 ± 3.2 kg/m². 90% (3089 of 3432 patients) were women. The 60 mg/daily cohort reported the higher FIQ, followed by the 30, 30-60, 120 mg/daily, and placebo groups, while the 60-120 mg /daily group performed the worst results. Concerning the CGI severity scale, placebo resulted in the lowest improvement, and no differences were found in the other groups. Concerning the BPI interference and severity pain scores, the 30-60 mg/daily group reported the worst result, along with the placebo group. The rate of adverse events leading to study discontinuation were lower in the 60-120 group, followed by the 30-60 and 30 mag/daily groups. Duloxetine was superior in all the comparisons to placebo, irrespective of the doses, in all endpoints analysed.

CONCLUSIONS

Duloxetine could help in improving symptoms of fibromyalgia. The dose of duloxetine should be customised according to individual patients. Irrespective of the doses, duloxetine was more effective than placebo in the management of fibromyalgia. The dose of duloxetine must be customised according to individual patients. Level of evidence I Meta-analysis of double-blind RCTs.

Chronic Pain in Children: Interdisciplinary Management

Chronic pain in children is a relatively prevalent cause of functional disability. Contributing factors to this pain are best viewed through the biopsychosocial model. Although evidence is lacking for individual aspects of treatment, interdisciplinary care is considered the best treatment approach for children with chronic pain. Interdisciplinary care can include medication management with daily and as-needed medications, physical and occupational therapy focusing on function and movement, and psychological treatment with cognitive-behavioral therapy and acceptance focused treatment. In children with severe pain and disability, intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment may be needed to improve pain and function.

Efficacy and safety of duloxetine in chronic musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) is a complex condition that is mainly treated with analgesic drugs. However, antidepressant intervention is also an important factor in the treatment of CMP. Duloxetine is an effective treatment option for patients with CMP as its antidepressant effect. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of duloxetine in treating CMP.

DATABASES AND DATA TREATMENT

We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library from inception to May, 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy and safety of duloxetine versus placebo in patients with CMP were included. We identified 13 articles and studied a population of 4201 participants in 4 countries.

RESULTS

This meta-analysis showed that the duloxetine has statistically significant compared with the placebo control, benefits on 24-hour average pain, living quality, physical function, and global impressions and there was no difference in the incidence of serious adverse event. In general, duloxetine can improve mood and pain level at the same time.

CONCLUSIONS

This review shows a significant contribution of duloxetine to CMP symptom relief. This meta-analysis improved that duloxetine can significantly reduce the pain level of patients, improve depressive symptoms and global impression, and has no obvious serious adverse reactions. However, additional studies are required to confirm the relationship between psychological diseases and chronic pain and explore their internal links.

Demographics, Diagnoses, Drugs, and Adjuvants in Patients on Chronic Opioid Therapy vs. Intermittent Use in a Tertiary Pediatric Chronic Pain Clinic

Anywhere from 11.6% to 20% of pediatric and adolescent patients treated for chronic pain are prescribed opioids, but little is known about these patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of patients on chronic opioid therapy (COT) and what therapies had been utilized prior to or in conjunction with COT. The study was a retrospective chart review of all chronic pain patients seen during 2020 with those patients on COT separated for analysis. A total of 346 unique patients were seen of which 257 were female (74.3%). The average age was 15.5 years. A total of 48 patients (13.9%) were identified as being on COT with an average age of 18.1 years. Of these, 23 (47.9%) were male which was significantly more than expected. The most common reason for patients to be receiving COT was palliative (13/48), and the second most common was sickle cell anemia (10/48). Patients on COT were significantly more likely to be male, be older, and to be concurrently prescribed benzodiazepines. Concurrent opioid and benzodiazepine therapy is a risk factor for respiratory depression and overdose. Further investigation into the increased proportion of males and benzodiazepine usage in patients on COT is warranted.

Hyponatremia with Antidepressant: A Rare Side Effect from Duloxetine in a Child with Acute Leukemia

Duloxetine is indicated for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain in adults. It is also indicated for anxiety, depression, and fibromyalgia in children. A rare side effect of syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) secretion has been reported in adults, but not in pediatrics or pediatric oncology patients. We present the case of a 10-year-old child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, who developed SIADH after duloxetine was given for chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain and comorbid anxiety. The SIADH resolved after duloxetine was stopped. This case highlights a rare side effect of duloxetine and caution should be taken when prescribing duloxetine to children.

Mechanism-Based Pharmacological Treatment for Chronic Non-cancer Pain in Adolescents: Current Approaches and Future Directions

Chronic non-cancer pain in pediatrics is a widespread phenomenon that affects about 20% of adolescents (10-19 years old). Although interdisciplinary pain treatment programs, which often include pharmacological treatment, have emerged as the standard of care in management of this patient population, evidence regarding an optimal treatment is lacking. The efficacy and safety profiles of pharmacological treatments used to help adolescents suffering from chronic non-cancer pain remain understudied. This lack of evidence may increase polypharmacy and the risk of drug interactions and adverse events. This review examines evidence for the use of pharmacological treatments prescribed to treat chronic pain in adolescents (10-19 years old), with a focus on mechanism-based pharmacology. The objectives of this review are to: (a) review the evidence for mechanism-based pharmacological treatments for chronic non-cancer pain in adolescents and (b) describe the pharmacological agents that are commonly prescribed to manage chronic pain in adolescents, including dosage information, mechanism, and potential adverse effects. Pharmacological treatments should be used carefully with adolescents, ideally within an interdisciplinary treatment program that will incorporate physical rehabilitation, integrative medicine/active mind-body techniques, psychology, and global efforts to normalize daily activities.

The Associations of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms with Risk and Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Although several risk single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been found to play an important role in etiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the findings are inconsistent. A descriptive correlational design was used to analyze the baseline data of a randomized controlled trial including participants with IBS and healthy controls (HC). Pain severity and interference, anxiety, sleep, and fatigue were measured using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and patient-reported outcomes measurement information system (PROMIS). Fisher’s exact test and multivariate linear regression were used to investigate the associations between IBS risk alleles and IBS symptoms. Participants were predominantly female, white, and had an average age of 21.13 ± 2.42 years. Polymorphisms within TNFSF15 (rs4263839), SLC6A4 5-HTTLPR, HTR3A (rs1062613), and OXTR (rs2254298) were associated with IBS risk, and TNFSF15 (rs4263839), COMT (rs6269), SLC6A4 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms were associated with pain severity. TNFSF15 (rs4263839) and COMT (rs4680; rs4633) genotypes were associated with sleep disturbance, and the ADRA1D SNP rs1556832 was associated with fatigue in both IBS and HC groups. Genotypic differences were associated with IBS risk and symptoms including abdominal pain, sleep disturbance, and fatigue. Further investigation is warranted to reveal the mechanisms by which these genetic variations influence the dynamic nature of IBS symptoms over time.

Juvenile Fibromyalgia

Juvenile fibromyalgia is a common referral in pediatric rheumatology settings. Providing a clear diagnosis and explanation of altered pain processing offers reassurance that pain has a biologic basis and the symptoms are part of a recognized pain syndrome. Physicians should acknowledge the impact of chronic pain and associated symptoms on patient's lives and take time to understand contributing factors including stress, mood, inactivity, and lifestyle factors. The optimal treatment for juvenile fibromyalgia is multidisciplinary, focusing on education about juvenile fibromyalgia, along with physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, sleep hygiene, healthy lifestyle habits, and medications for symptom management as appropriate.

Iron supplementation for hypoferritinemia-related psychological symptoms in children and adolescents

BACKGROUND

Although some studies have described the association between serum ferritin levels and specific disorders in child and adolescent psychiatry, few have focused on mental health with low serum ferritin levels in children and adolescents. This study examined the effects of iron administration on psychological state of children and adolescents with reduced serum ferritin concentration.

METHODS

This prospective study evaluated 19 participants aged 6-15 years with serum ferritin levels <30 ng/mL who visited a mental health clinic and received oral iron administration for 12 weeks. The participants were assessed using the Clinical Global Impression Severity (CGI-S), Profile of Mood States 2nd Edition Youth-Short (POMS), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). In addition to serum ferritin, blood biochemical values such as hemoglobin (Hb) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) were examined. School attendance was recorded.

RESULTS

The most prevalent physical symptoms were fatigability and insomnia. The CGI-S, PSQI, and CES-D scores decreased significantly following iron supplementation, whereas the scores of almost all POMS subscales improved significantly at week 12. No participant had hemoglobin levels <12 g/dL. Serum ferritin concentration increased significantly, whereas Hb and MCV remained unchanged. At baseline, 74% of the participants did not attend school regularly; this number improved to varying degrees by week 12.

DISCUSSION

Serum ferritin levels would be preferable to be measured in children and adolescents with insomnia and/or fatigability regardless of psychiatric diagnoses or gender. Iron supplementation can improve the hypoferritinemia-related psychological symptoms of children and adolescents, such as poor concentration, anxiety, depression, low energy and/or irritability.

Placebo effect in pharmacological management of fibromyalgia: a meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

The management of fibromyalgia involves a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments.

SOURCE OF DATA

Recently published literature in PubMed, Google Scholar and Embase databases.

AREAS OF AGREEMENT

Several pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies have been proposed for the management of fibromyalgia. However, the management of fibromyalgia remains controversial. The administration of placebo has proved to be more effective than no treatment in many clinical settings and evidence supports the 'therapeutic' effects of placebo on a wide range of symptoms.

AREAS OF CONTROVERSY

The placebo effect is believed to impact the clinical outcomes, but its actual magnitude is controversial.

GROWING POINTS

A meta-analysis comparing pharmacological management versus placebo administration for fibromyalgia was conducted.

AREAS TIMELY FOR DEVELOPING RESEARCH

Drug treatment resulted to be more effective than placebo administration for the management of fibromyalgia. Nevertheless, placebo showed a beneficial effect in patients with fibromyalgia. Treatment-related adverse events occurred more frequently in the drug treatment.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

I, Bayesian network meta-analysis of double-blind randomized clinical trials.

Suicidality and other severe psychiatric events with duloxetine: Re-analysis of safety data from a placebo-controlled trial for juvenile fibromyalgia

BACKGROUND

In antidepressant trials for pediatric patients with depression or anxiety disorders, the risk of suicidal events and other severe psychiatric adverse events such as aggression and agitation is increased with antidepressants relative to placebo.

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether largely mentally healthy adolescents treated for a non-psychiatric condition are also at increased risk of suicidality and other severe psychiatric disorders.

METHODS

This is a re-analysis of a placebo-controlled duloxetine trial for juvenile fibromyalgia based on the main journal article and additional data published in the online supplementary material and on ClinicalTrials.gov. Both serious adverse events related to psychiatric disorders and adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation were defined as severe treatment-emergent psychiatric adverse events.

RESULTS

We found that a significant portion of adolescents had treatment-emergent suicidal ideation and behaviour as well as other severe psychiatric adverse events with duloxetine, but no such events were recorded on placebo. The incidence of severe treatment-emergent psychiatric adverse events was statistically significantly higher with duloxetine as compared to placebo.

CONCLUSIONS

Antidepressants may put adolescents at risk of suicidality and other severe psychiatric disorders even when the treatment indication is not depression or anxiety.

Are Psychotropic Medications Effective in Chronic Pain Management in Children and Adolescents? A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Control Trials

Objective

Data defining and subsequently guiding the use of psychotropic medications in children and adolescents is sparse. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized control trials to examine the effectiveness of psychotropic medications in children and adolescents with chronic pain.

Methods

We conducted a comprehensive literature search from published studies, and annual scientific sessions of psychiatry conferences. We identified double-blind, randomized control trials (RCTs) in which psychotropic medications were compared to placebo. Data was collected for the total number of patients, baseline characteristics, and changes in pain score. Meta-analysis was performed using a random effect model evaluating average change in pain score and the number of patients with a reduction in pain score for both groups. Pooled data are expressed as standardized mean differences (SMD) and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

We found 5 studies that included amitriptyline (n=2), citalopram (n=1), buspirone (n=1) and duloxetine (n=1). In the pooled analysis for the difference in the average change in pain score, 4 RCTs with 395 patients were included. After 12–13 weeks of therapy, reductions in pain score were significantly greater in the psychotropic drug group as compared to placebo (SMD: −0.77, 95% CI −1.54, 0.0001, p= 0.05). For the analysis on the number of patients with a reduction in pain, data were available for 445 patients (224-medication group, 221-placebo group). More patients in the psychotropic drug group experienced a meaningful reduction in pain score at 12–13 weeks of therapy compared to placebo (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.08–2.54, p= 0.02).

Conclusion

The results of this meta-analysis demonstrate significant analgesic efficacy of psychotropic medications in the management of children with chronic pain. This review is limited by the small number of studies included for analysis. There is a pressing need for more robust clinical trials to further investigate these promising findings.

BMI but not age and sex negatively impact on the outcome of pharmacotherapy in fibromyalgia: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

The impact of sex, age, body mass index (BMI) in fibromyalgia is still unclear. A systematic review was conducted to investigate whether sex, age and BMI influence the clinical outcomes and rate of adverse events.

METHODS

The present study was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. The literature search was performed in February 2021. All the RCTs investigating pharmacological strategies for fibromyalgia were accessed.

RESULTS

Data from 51 RCTs (17,311 patients) were collected. Short Form 36 emotional, Social function and physical role subscales showed evidence of a negative association with BMI (P = 0.02, P = 0.002 and P = 0.0001, respectively). Depression and anxiety subscales of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression score demonstrated evidence of a positive association with age (P = 0.04 and P = 0.001, respectively) and sex (P = 0.00005 and P = 0.0001, respectively). Visual analog scale evidenced a positive association with BMI (P = 0.04). Clinical Global Impression Severity scale demonstrated evidence of a negative association with BMI (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

Irrespective from the pharmacological approach, a higher BMI is negatively associated with a favorable outcome in patients with fibromyalgia. The association with sex and age remains controversial.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

I, systematic review of RCTs.

Juvenile primary fibromyalgia syndrome: A Review- Treatment and Prognosis

Juvenile primary fibromyalgia syndrome (JPFS) is a chronic musculoskeletal pain syndrome affecting children and adolescents. In part one of this review, we discussed the epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and diagnosis of JPFS. Part two focuses on the treatment and prognosis of JPFS. Early intervention is important. The standard of care is multidisciplinary, combining various modalities-most importantly, exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy. Prognosis varies and symptoms may persist into adulthood.

Beyond Amitriptyline: A Pediatric and Adolescent Oriented Narrative Review of the Analgesic Properties of Psychotropic Medications for the Treatment of Complex Pain and Headache Disorders

Children and adolescents with recurrent or chronic pain and headache are a complex and heterogenous population. Patients are best served by multi-specialty, multidisciplinary teams to assess and create tailored, individualized pain treatment and rehabilitation plans. Due to the complex nature of pain, generalizing pharmacologic treatment recommendations in children with recurrent or chronic pains is challenging. This is particularly true of complicated patients with co-existing painful and psychiatric conditions. There is an unfortunate dearth of evidence to support many pharmacologic therapies to treat children with chronic pain and headache. This narrative review hopes to supplement the available treatment options for this complex population by reviewing the pediatric and adult literature for analgesic properties of medications that also have psychiatric indication. The medications reviewed belong to medication classes typically described as antidepressants, alpha 2 delta ligands, mood stabilizers, anti-psychotics, anti-sympathetic agents, and stimulants.

Duloxetine and cardiovascular adverse events: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Duloxetine has been increasingly administered, but the associated cardiovascular adverse event risk is not clearly understood. Therefore, we identified the association between duloxetine and cardiovascular adverse events through an analysis of heart rate and blood pressure change. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, and psycINFO in June 2019. The title, abstract, and full text were checked in order to obtain articles. A meta-analysis was conducted with random effect model and quality of articles was evaluated using Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0. The manuscript has been written according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) harm checklist. A total of 4009 studies were screened by the title and abstract. After reviewing 186 full texts, 17 studies were finally selected for the meta-analysis. Nine of the 17 studied duloxetine given for mood disorders and 8 for pain control. The duration of 14 studies was under 13 weeks. Cardiovascular adverse events (hypertension, myocardial infarction, transient ischemic attack, tachycardia atrial fibrillation, and cerebrovascular accident) were reported. The meta-analysis demonstrated that duloxetine increased heart rate by 2.22 beats/min (95% confidence intervals [CIs]: 1.53, 2.91) and diastolic blood pressure by 0.82 mmHg (95% CI: 0.17, 1.47). Our findings may be the signal for the safety of cardiovascular disease for short-term use of duloxetine. Well-designed pharmaco-epidemiological studies evaluating the causal relationship between long-term use of duloxetine and cardiovascular disease is still necessary.