Efficacy of pulsed radiofrequency at different intervention times for zoster-related pain: A retrospective comparative study

A BSTRACT Background: Pain is the primary symptom of herpes zoster, commonly referred to as zoster-related neuralgia. It is typically characterized by chronic and persistent pain along the distribution of unilateral peripheral nerves. Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) has proven to be an effective treatment for alleviating this type of pain. Currently, there is limited research on pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) treatment for zoster-related pain based on stratification by pain duration. This retrospective study aims to compare the efficacy of PRF treatment administered at two different intervention time points for managing zoster-related pain. Methods: Sixty-nine patients suffering from HZ-related pain were enrolled in this study. Based on the timing of PRF intervention after the onset of herpes zoster, patients were divided into two groups: the early PRF group (within 30 days) and the PHN PRF group (more than 30 days). The effectiveness of PRF treatment was evaluated using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Results: All participants experienced a reduction in pain intensity following PRF treatment. However, the early PRF group showed a significantly greater improvement in pain relief. Additionally, patients in the early PRF group demonstrated markedly better outcomes in sleep quality, as well as lower levels of anxiety and depression, compared to those in the PHN PRF group. Conclusion: Early PRF intervention for herpes zoster-related neuralgia provides superior pain relief and psychological recovery compared to delayed treatment in PHN patients, highlighting the importance of timely intervention in preventing disease progression.