Short-term efficacy of a fixed association of Palmitoylethanolamide and other phytochemicals as add-on therapy in the management of chronic pain in elderly patients: a real-world retrospective study


Submitted: 7 November 2017
Accepted: 4 February 2018
Published: 2 May 2018
Abstract Views: 1190
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Authors

  • Walter Gianni II Division of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
  • Massimo Di Carlo Sandro Pertini Hospital, Rome, Italy.
  • Luciano Colangelo II Division of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
  • Giada Della Grotta II Division of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
  • Chiara Sonato II Division of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
  • Mirella Cilli II Division of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
  • Antonio Toto Sandro Pertini Hospital, Rome, Italy.
  • Salvatore Minisola II Division of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
Phytochemicals are promising adjuvant agents for the treatment of pain. This study aimed to explore the short-term efficacy and safety of a fixed-dose combined therapy with Palmitoylethanolamide and other phytochemicals as add-on therapy in elderly patients. Data on 47 elderly patients with non-oncologic chronic pain of mild-moderate degree were analyzed in a retrospective, descriptive, no-profit, double-center realworld study. Patients were administered the combined phytochemical therapy for 6 weeks, in addition to analgesics administered when needed. Patients showed a reduction in pain intensity both in mixed /nociceptive and in neuropathic pain and improvements in functional abilities, quality of life, and in the subjective belief about the efficacy of treatment. These results were also observed in the small subgroup of patients in monotherapy with phytochemicals (n=13). No adverse event led to treatment withdrawal. This exploratory study suggests that phytochemicals may represent an effective source of analgesics to be added to chemically synthesized drugs, therefore reducing the need of their up-titration and the risk of toxicity. These data must be considered as preliminary and need to be tested in randomized trials.

Gianni, W., Di Carlo, M., Colangelo, L., Della Grotta, G., Sonato, C., Cilli, M., Toto, A., & Minisola, S. (2018). Short-term efficacy of a fixed association of Palmitoylethanolamide and other phytochemicals as add-on therapy in the management of chronic pain in elderly patients: a real-world retrospective study. Geriatric Care, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.4081/gc.2018.7177

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