Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), an extra-articular rheumatologic disease, has a prevalence of ~2–4%. But its etiology and pathogenesis are still unknown. 

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between oxidation products and antioxidant defences that plays a crucial role in the etiopathogenesis of FMS. Lidocaine is a local anesthetic that has a rapid onset of action, good safety profile, low cost and wide availability that can ameliorate nerve signal conduction and hence attenuate pain. Intravenous repetitive injections are employed to manage chronic pain. 

A recent study investigated the effects of repetitive intravenous lidocaine injections associated with pregabalin on oxidative and antioxidant parameters in women with FMS. Oxidative stress was specified by calculating the levels of GSH, lipoperoxidation, catalase, and superoxide dismutase in the blood of 48 female patients with FMS who were treated with lidocaine or saline. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) scores were used to measure FMS pain intensity.

Concerning VAS and FIQ, patients treated with lidocaine/pregabalin (GPL) showed improvements in the parameter analyzed compared to the initial and final treatment time. Moreover, lidocaine administration showed a marked increase in GSH levels and non-enzymatic capacity (FRAP) in blood and plasma and decreased lipoperoxidation in blood cells without altering sulfhydryl groups comparing the first and second times of treatment.

Thus, Lidocaine plus pregabalin greatly promoted antioxidant defences and lowered oxidative stress.

Biomed J Sci & Tech Res.2021;39(2). BJSTR. MS.ID.006261.