Chronic pain is a multifaceted debilitating experience often associated with significant physical and emotional burden. Low dose naltrexone (LDN) has gained attention in recent years for its potential utility in the m...Chronic pain is a multifaceted debilitating experience often associated with significant physical and emotional burden. Low dose naltrexone (LDN) has gained attention in recent years for its potential utility in the management of fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and painful diabetic neuropathy. LDN’s analgesic effects have been associated with its ability to increase the production of endorphins while reducing the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide. This meta-analysis aims to systematically review and synthesize the available evidence on efficacy of LDN as an analgesic in pain syndromes, with a focus on chronic (neuro) inflammatory diseases. The goal is to provide clinicians with a more comprehensive estimate of the effectiveness of LDN as a non-opioid option for managing chronic pain and guide future research in the area. Thirteen randomized control trials, published from 1990 to 2022, were selected for the analysis that satisfied inclusion criteria. The overall effects in these studies were calculated using the standardized mean difference (SMD) between the LDN and placebo groups. We found an overall SMD of -10.77 (95% CI: -13.96 to -7.58) with a p-value of 0.002. This indicated that the LDN group experienced a statistically significant reduction in pain compared to placebo. This meta-analysis provides evidence for the potential efficacy of low dose naltrexone in reducing pain and enhancing analgesia in various pain syndromes. LDN may be a useful treatment option for patients suffering from chronic pain, particularly with fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, or diabetic neuropathy. However, further research is needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of low dose naltrexone for chronic pain conditions, especially with larger sample sizes, standardized dosing regimens and treatment durations.展开更多
文摘Chronic pain is a multifaceted debilitating experience often associated with significant physical and emotional burden. Low dose naltrexone (LDN) has gained attention in recent years for its potential utility in the management of fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and painful diabetic neuropathy. LDN’s analgesic effects have been associated with its ability to increase the production of endorphins while reducing the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide. This meta-analysis aims to systematically review and synthesize the available evidence on efficacy of LDN as an analgesic in pain syndromes, with a focus on chronic (neuro) inflammatory diseases. The goal is to provide clinicians with a more comprehensive estimate of the effectiveness of LDN as a non-opioid option for managing chronic pain and guide future research in the area. Thirteen randomized control trials, published from 1990 to 2022, were selected for the analysis that satisfied inclusion criteria. The overall effects in these studies were calculated using the standardized mean difference (SMD) between the LDN and placebo groups. We found an overall SMD of -10.77 (95% CI: -13.96 to -7.58) with a p-value of 0.002. This indicated that the LDN group experienced a statistically significant reduction in pain compared to placebo. This meta-analysis provides evidence for the potential efficacy of low dose naltrexone in reducing pain and enhancing analgesia in various pain syndromes. LDN may be a useful treatment option for patients suffering from chronic pain, particularly with fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, or diabetic neuropathy. However, further research is needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of low dose naltrexone for chronic pain conditions, especially with larger sample sizes, standardized dosing regimens and treatment durations.
