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Long-term use of gabapentin for treatment of pain after traumatic spinal cord injury.

AbstractOBJECTIVE:
To determine the long-term efficacy of gabapentin as a treatment of pain after spinal cord injury.
DESIGN:
All patients with traumatic-onset spinal cord injury treated with gabapentin were identified and followed up using a longitudinal observational design with two contact points (6 and 36 months after the trial) using a semi-structured interview. The first follow-up interview attempted to capture all 31 patients placed on therapeutic trial. The second follow-up interview attempted to capture those reporting a favorable response (n = 14) to the therapeutic trial at the first follow-up.
RESULTS:
Of the 27 patients contacted at the first follow-up (87% response rate), 6 (22%) discontinued the trial secondary to intolerable side effects; therefore, the pain analgesic effects of gabapentin in these patients could not be determined. Of the remaining 21 patients, 14 (67%) reported a favorable response (i.e., a 2 or greater point reduction on a 0-10 pain-rating scale). The second follow-up interview captured 11 (79% response rate) of the 14 patients reporting a favorable response at the first interview, and 91% (10 of 11 patients) continued to report that gabapentin was an effective analgesic. There was no evidence to suggest dosing difficulties due to tolerance over the 3-year period. Sedation, dizziness, and forgetfulness were the most common side effects.
CONCLUSIONS:
Gabapentin may be an effective treatment of pain after spinal cord injury among those able to tolerate initial and long-term side effects.
AuthorsJohn David Putzke, J Scott Richards, Laura Kezar, B L Hicken, T J Ness
JournalThe Clinical journal of pain (Clin J Pain) 2002 Mar-Apr Vol. 18 Issue 2 Pg. 116-21 ISSN: 0749-8047 [Print] United States
PMID11882775 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S., Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)
Chemical References
  • Acetates
  • Amines
  • Analgesics
  • Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
  • Gabapentin
Topics
  • Acetates (administration & dosage)
  • Amines
  • Analgesics (administration & dosage)
  • Chronic Disease
  • Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Gabapentin
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic (methods)
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Pain (drug therapy, etiology)
  • Pain Measurement (methods)
  • Paraplegia (complications)
  • Spinal Cord Injuries (complications)
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid

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