JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) with various etiologies and mechanisms, affecting men and women, is a major challenge. Combinations of different classes of medications are often prescribed for CPP, with the expectation of improved outcomes. Although a number of combination trials have been reported, we are aware of no systematic synthesis of the available evidence on combination drug therapy for CPP. Thus, we have developed a protocol for a systematic review to evaluate available evidence of efficacy and safety for CPP.

Objective:

The objective of this review is to evaluate available clinical studies describing the efficacy and safety of combination drug therapies for the treatment of chronic pelvic pain.

Methods:

This systematic review will involve a detailed search of RCTs investigating drug combinations to treat CPP in adults. The databases searched will include the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE and EMBASE from their inception until the date the searches are run to identify relevant studies. The primary outcome will be pain relief measured using validated scoring tools, and secondary outcomes, where reported, will include: AEs, serious AEs, sexual function, quality of life, and depression and anxiety. Methodological quality of each included study will be assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. PROSPERO registration pending.

Results:

The systematic review defined by this protocol is expected to synthesize available good quality evidence on combination drug therapy in CPP, which may help guide future research and treatment choices for patients and their health care providers.

Conclusions:

This review will provide a clearer understanding of the efficacy and safety for combination pharmacological therapy for CPP.