Arteriovenous fistulae are artificial connections between the artery and vein in the arm which allow needles to be inserted for haemodialysising patients wit kidney failure. Occasionally severe debilitating pain can arise from these fistulae for which no cause can be found. Such pain can be very difficult to treat. Many commonly used used painkillers are known to cause significant side effects in patients with renal failure (drowsiness, confusion etc. Qutenza (topical capsaicin 8%) is a new treatment made from chilli peppers which is applied to the skin as a patch and works directly at the nerve endings in the skin to prevent pain. It therefore should not have the systemic side effects of other drugs. It has been demonstrated to be beneficial in other painful conditions for example post-shingles pain and nerve pain from HIV. It has never been used for critical ischaemia before. We propose to investigate the efficacy of Qutenza in treating patients with end stage renal failure and chronic pain from their fistulae (AVF). We will recruit 20 patients with painful AVF and treat them with Qutenza. We will follow them up for 12 weeks and monitor the change in their pain scores.

Population

Patients with end stage renal failure and chronic neuroapthic pain arising fromt heir arteriovenous fistulae

Brief Title

Qutenza (Topical Capsaicin 8%) for Painful Arteriovenous Fistulae

Official Title

The Role of Qutenza (Topical Capsaicin 8%) in Treating Neuropathic Pain From Arteriovenous Fistulae in Patients With End Stage Renal Failure

Brief Summary

Arteriovenous fistulae are artificial connections between the artery and vein in the arm<br /> which allow needles to be inserted for haemodialysising patients wit kidney failure.<br /> Occasionally severe debilitating pain can arise from these fistulae for which no cause can be<br /> found. Such pain can be very difficult to treat. Many commonly used used painkillers are<br /> known to cause significant side effects in patients with renal failure (drowsiness, confusion<br /> etc.<br /><br /> Qutenza (topical capsaicin 8%) is a new treatment made from chilli peppers which is applied<br /> to the skin as a patch and works directly at the nerve endings in the skin to prevent pain.<br /> It therefore should not have the systemic side effects of other drugs. It has been<br /> demonstrated to be beneficial in other painful conditions for example post-shingles pain and<br /> nerve pain from HIV. It has never been used for critical ischaemia before.<br /><br /> We propose to investigate the efficacy of Qutenza in treating patients with end stage renal<br /> failure and chronic pain from their fistulae (AVF). We will recruit 20 patients with painful<br /> AVF and treat them with Qutenza. We will follow them up for 12 weeks and monitor the change<br /> in their pain scores.

Outcome Measures

Outcome measures are the tests that investigators perform to prove whether or not a treatment being tested in a clinical trial is having any effect.