Antidepressant analgesia in rheumatoid arthritis. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Forty-seven patients with definite rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were treated in a 32 week, double blind, crossover trial of amitriptyline, desipramine, trazodone, and placebo. All drug regimens produced significant changes on pain measures relative to baseline, but only amitriptyline exceeded placebo. Amitriptyline was associated with a significant reduction in the number of painful/tender joints. Our study supports the efficacy of a moderate dose of amitriptyline as an adjunct drug for the treatment of pain in both depressed and nondepressed patients with RA.

published proceedings

  • J Rheumatol

author list (cited authors)

  • Frank, R. G., Kashani, J. H., Parker, J. C., Beck, N. C., Brownlee-Duffeck, M., Elliott, T. R., ... Kay, D. R.

citation count

  • 87

complete list of authors

  • Frank, RG||Kashani, JH||Parker, JC||Beck, NC||Brownlee-Duffeck, M||Elliott, TR||Haut, AE||Atwood, C||Smith, E||Kay, DR

publication date

  • November 1988