Pharmacoepidemiology of Neuropathic Pain (PRONE)

Neuropathic pain has a major impact on quality of life. Trials investigating neuropathic pain (NeuP) pharmacotherapy found less than half of people with NeuP experience acceptable pain relief with any medication. The reasons for the variability in treatment success are not understood and there is currently no indicator of who is most likely to respond to which medication. Additionally, several studies over the past decade have demonstrated that large proportions of people with NeuP do not receive the recommended first-line medications (e.g., amitriptyline, gabapentin). Predictors of whether a person will be prescribed a neuropathic pain medication are not known. 

In this studentship we will explore the clinical, demographic, lifestyle and genetic factors influencing NeuP treatment allocation and response. Participants will be identified from the Scottish Health Research Registry (SHARE), a research registry of >290,000 people, plus an existing cohort, GoDARTS (Genetics of Diabetes Audit and Research in Tayside Scotland). Questionnaire, prescribing and genetic data of patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) or painful chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) will be obtained (through the PAINSTORM study): The results will help us to understand the patients most likely to receive and respond to recommended NeuP medications, allowing a targeted approach to management.