Assessment of patient contentment with pharmacological interventions for presumed diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain: a cross-sectional investigation at a medical institution in eastern India.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51168/sjhrafrica.v7i3.2558Keywords:
Diabetic neuropathy, Neuropathic pain, Satisfaction, Quality of life, Activity of daily living, Combination, MonotherapyAbstract
Objective:
The increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus has led to an increased prevalence of chronic complications. Diabetic peripheral neuropathies (DPN) are the most common chronic complications. It often presents as numbness, tingling, or pain in both legs and feet. Patients may experience problems with sleep, depression, and reduced quality of life (QOL). It is an underdiagnosed condition. Patients are often unsatisfied with treatment. Multiple medicines are approved for treatment, but to date, very few studies have determined the relationship between the diagnosis of DPN and satisfaction with treatment for pain.
Methods:
A cross-sectional observational study was done in 300 patients suffering from painful diabetic neuropathy in a tertiary care hospital in West Bengal. We assessed responses with gabapentin, pregabalin, nortriptyline, duloxetine, amitryptiline alone or in combination therapy. We measured the percentage of participants who reported satisfaction with treatment for bilateral foot pain based on a scale of 1 (very satisfied) to 5 (very unsatisfied), degree of improvement in actions in daily life, and improvement in QOL.
Results:
Amitriptyline monotherapy was the most commonly prescribed treatment, received by 126 patients ( 42% of total), followed by pregabalin (27%) and amitriptyline-pregabalin combination ( 26% ). In our study, the amitriptyline-pregabalin combination scored better in patient satisfaction parameters like pain relief, quality of life, and activity of daily living as compared to monotherapies with pregabalin, gabapentin, amitryptiline.
Conclusion:
Patient satisfaction is variable in diabetic neuropathic pain management. It is influenced by multiple factors. Combination therapy of amitriptyline-pregabalin provided more symptomatic relief and improved quality of life as compared to monotherapy.
Recommendation:
Combination therapy, particularly amitriptyline–pregabalin, should be considered in patients with diabetic neuropathic pain to improve satisfaction, quality of life, and functional outcomes.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Abhishek Ghosh, Anurag Saha, Tara Sanwarwalla, Raju Dasgupta, Mukta Halder
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