Antidepressants for pain management in rheumatoid arthritis.

Pain management is a high priority for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Antidepressants are sometimes used as adjuvant agents to enhance pain relief, help with sleep and reduce depression. Such antidepressants include tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), selective serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (NRIs). However, the prescription of antidepressants in this population remains controversial because of conflicting scientific evidence.