Comparison of Adjuvant Hypertonic Saline and Normal Saline for Epidural Block in Patients with Postherpetic Neuralgia: A Double-Blind, Randomized Trial
Table 1
Baseline characteristics of the study participants.
Normal saline (N = 17)
Hypertonic saline (N = 19)
value
Age (years)
69.1 ± 10.1
65.7 ± 9.6
0.320
Sex (n, %)
0.739
Male
8 (47.1)
11 (57.9)
Female
9 (52.9)
8 (42.1)
Body mass index (kg/m2)
23.4 ± 4.1
24.2 ± 2.1
0.464
Diabetes (n, %)
4 (23.5)
4 (21.1)
0.858
Hypertension (n, %)
4 (23.5)
4 (21.1)
0.858
Immunocompromised state
7 (41.2)
6 (33.3)
0.733
Lesion site
0.989
Cervical
2 (11.8)
2 (10.5)
Thoracic
14 (82.4)
16 (84.2)
Lumbar
1 (5.9)
1 (5.3)
Number of levels
2.0 (1.0–2.0)
2.0 (1.0–2.0)
0.707
Duration of pain (months)
24.0 (9.0–33.0)
29.0 (9.0–38.0)
0.552
Basal pain intensity (NRS)
6.7 ± 1.7
6.4 ± 1.9
0.644
ISI (0–28)
14.3 ± 7.5
11.4 ± 5.1
0.184
MQS
11.7 ± 5.8
12.5 ± 7.1
0.756
Druga
Anticonvulsants
14 (82.4)
16 (84.2)
0.999
Antidepressants
8 (47.1)
11 (57.9)
0.739
Opioids
12 (70.6)
11 (57.9)
0.502
NSAIDs
1 (5.9)
2 (10.5)
0.999
Topical agents
2 (10.5)
1 (5.3)
0.593
Data are expressed as a number (%), mean ± standard deviation, or median (interquartile range). aThe individualized baseline drugs for managing pain were anticonvulsants (gabapentinoids and carbamazepine), antidepressants (tricyclic antidepressants and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors), topical agents (transdermal lidocaine patches and capsaicin cream), and analgesics (opioids and NSAIDs). ISI, insomnia severity index; MQS, medication quantification scale; NRS, numerical rating scale; NSAIDs, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs.
