Efficacy of venlafaxine for the long term treatment of chronic pain with associated major depressive disorder.

Background: This was an open-label, single-center study of the long-term efficacy and effectiveness of venlafaxine extended release (XR) in the treatment of chronic pain and depression in outpatients. All patients have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) of various types, with or without chronic pain, and had previously failed treatment with either tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Methods: Efficacy of treatment was determined using the 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-21), the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for the evaluation of pain, and a 12-item quality of life scale (QOL).