Publication:

A prospective comparative study to assess the efficacy and safety of sertraline and methylcobalin with pregabalin and methylcobalin in patients suffering with depression due to diabetic neuropathic pain

Background Diabetic neuropathic pain produces mood swings thereby creating emotional disturbances ranging from mild anxiety to severe depression when the disease progresses for 10 years or more. The existing treatment includes Tricyclic antidepressants, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, anticonvulsants, Dual Reuptake Inhibitor antidepressant, topical agents like capsaicin, lignocaine, gabapentin. Yet the psychological component has to be treated with the antidepressants. Even though SSRI’s like sertraline has shown some promising results as analgesic but could works better as an antidepressant. Hence, this work emphasizes some promising role of sertraline as an adjuvant to methylcobalin and other medications in the management of depression due to diabetic neuropathic pain.

Methods A total of 100 consecutive patients of both sex between the age group of 18-65 years with painful diabetic neuropathic pain with signs and symptoms depression were recruited and randomized into two groups. Statistical methods: Data were tabulated, and results were analyzed. Chi-square test was used to analyze demographic data of the study population. Depressive score was analyzed at baseline and 12th week by using Student’s t-test and Analysis of Co variance. A p value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Results Group I patients showed an improvement of symptomatology where the number of patients shifted from mild to minimal depression. This is critically less in Group II.

Conclusions The combination of sertraline with methylcobalin showed a promising outcome with improvement of symptoms of painful diabetic neuropathic pain in Indian patients.