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Background

Anticonvulsants are widely used for treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are not first-line drugs but are commonly prescribed medicines for chronic pain. The majority of patients are hesitant to use these drug groups, thus their compliance remains an issue.

Objective

To compare patient compliance and the effectiveness of 2 SSRIs (paroxetine or citalopram) and 1 anticonvulsant (gabapentin) in patients with painful diabetic neuropathy.

Methods

This was a 6 months prospective trial in 101 patients with painful diabetic neuropathy and minimum score of 2 on a pain intensity scale ranging of 0 to 4. Compliance was assessed with patient interviews and pill counts. Adverse events, early discontinuation or satisfaction with treatment were also evaluated.

Results

Patients receiving SSRIs reported greater satisfaction and fewer concerns of the side-effects with their …