Emad M R, Emad M, Taheri P
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation,Faghihi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2011 May;13(5):323-7. Epub 2011 May 1.
Several treatments have been suggested in shingles viral infection caused by Varicella zoster virus that may lead to complications such as PHN (Post-herpetic neuralgia). Intradermal injection of botulinum toxin was shown with few side effects. This study evaluates the efficacy of intradermal injection of botulinum toxin in patients suffering from PHN.
Fifteen patients suffering from PHN for more than1 month were enrolled. Data collected were patients' age, sex, and lesion site, the dermatome involved and the duration and severity of pain by visual analog scale (VAS). Botulinum (15 units /every 10 cm(2) of body involved) was injected intradermally. The patients were followed 2, 14 and 30 days after injection.
Of participants, 6 were males and 9 females. The mean age was 60 years and the mean duration of neuralgia was 6.5 months. The mean VAS on day 2 was 6.4, on day 14 was 7.2 and after 30 days was 7.6. The overall pain after injection decreased but was not significant.
It seems that intradermal injection of botulinum toxin decreases pain in PHN patients and this decrease is less prominent by passing time.
对于由水痘带状疱疹病毒引起的带状疱疹病毒感染，已经提出了几种治疗方法，这种感染可能会导致如带状疱疹后神经痛（PHN）等并发症。皮内注射肉毒杆菌毒素显示副作用较少。本研究评估皮内注射肉毒杆菌毒素对PHN患者的疗效。
招募了15名患有PHN超过1个月的患者。收集的数据包括患者的年龄、性别、病变部位、受累的皮节以及通过视觉模拟量表（VAS）评估的疼痛持续时间和严重程度。将肉毒杆菌毒素（每10平方厘米受累身体面积注射15单位）皮内注射。在注射后第2天、第14天和第30天对患者进行随访。
参与者中，男性6名，女性9名。平均年龄为60岁，神经痛的平均持续时间为6.5个月。第2天的平均VAS为6.4，第14天为7.2，30天后为7.6。注射后的总体疼痛有所减轻，但不显著。
皮内注射肉毒杆菌毒素似乎能减轻PHN患者的疼痛，且随着时间推移这种减轻不太明显。
