Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42671707›Full record

ReviewPain and therapy2026

Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Treatments for Chronic Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis.

Mariëlle H Eerdekens, Charlotte Both, Rita L Freitas

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Pain and therapy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Mariëlle H EerdekensGrünenthal GmbH, 52099, Aachen, Germany.
Charlotte BothGrünenthal GmbH, 52099, Aachen, Germany.
Rita L FreitasGrünenthal GmbH, 52099, Aachen, Germany. rita.freitas@grunenthal.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1145-6444

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPeripheral neuropathic pain (PNP) is a chronic condition that often requires long-term treatment. In 2025, the Neuropathic Pain Special Interest Group (NeuPSIG) updated its recommendations for treatment of neuropathic pain based on data from double-blind, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a duration of ≥ 3 weeks. To complement the existing body of evidence, we reviewed the long-term efficacy/safety of NeuPSIG-recommended treatments for PNP.

methodsWe conducted a systematic literature review including clinical trials and observational studies of any design. Two literature searches were performed using PubMed and Embase (December 2024, May 2025). We included studies that enrolled ≥ 50 adult patients with PNP receiving ≥ 1 treatment recommended in the 2025 NeuPSIG guidance and with duration of ≥ 13 weeks. A supplemental search for long-term studies on high-concentration capsaicin 8% patch (HCCP) was performed. Results were synthesized narratively due to heterogeneity in study designs and outcomes.

resultsWe included 34 articles in our analysis (31 studies) varying in design, including interventional (RCTs and open-label studies) and observational studies. Most studies had a duration of 26-52 weeks. Four treatments (HCCP, duloxetine, gabapentin, pregabalin) were evaluated in ≥ 5 studies. HCCP was evaluated in the greatest number of long-term studies (n = 13) and in various PNP conditions, followed by duloxetine (n = 7) in painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (pDPN) only, gabapentin (n = 6) in various PNP conditions and pregabalin (n = 5) mostly in pDPN. Collected data support long-term efficacy of all products. The lowest rates of discontinuations due to adverse events were reported with HCCP.

conclusionsThe findings from this literature review emphasize the importance of expanding long-term evidence for chronic pain therapies. The review determined that the largest body of evidence is available for HCCP. Finally, it highlights the need for more standardized long-term evidence studies for chronic pain therapies.

Indexed as

DuloxetineGabapentinHigh-concentration capsaicin 8% patchLong-term dataObservational studyPeripheral neuropathic painPregabalinRandomized controlled trialSystematic literature review

Identifiers

PMID42671707
PMCPMC13623814

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.