Efficacy of pregabalin in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.

Abstract

This prospective, open-label study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pregabalin treatment in patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia with and without concomitant facial pain. Fifty-three patients with trigeminal neuralgia (14 with concomitant chronic facial pain) received pregabalin (PGB) 150-600 mg daily and were prospectively followed for 1 year. The primary outcome was number of patients pain free or with reduction of pain intensity by > 50% and of attack frequency by > 50% after 8 weeks. Secondary outcome was sustained pain relief after 1 year. Thirty-nine patients (74%) improved after 8 weeks with a mean dose of 269.8 mg/day (range 150-600 mg/day) PGB: 13 (25%) experienced complete pain relief and 26 (49%) reported pain reduction > 50%, whereas 14 (26%) did not improve. Patients without concomitant facial pain showed better response rates (32 of 39, 82%) compared with patients with concomitant chronic facial pain (7 of 14, 50%, P = 0.020). Concomitant chronic facial pain appears to be a clinical predictor of poor treatment outcome. PGB appears to be effective in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.

• Authors: M Obermann, M S Yoon, K Sensen, M Maschke, H C Diener, Z Katsarava
• Journal: Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache (Cephalalgia) Vol. 28 Issue 2 Pg. 174-81 (Feb 2008) ISSN: 1468-2982 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 18039340 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Analgesics
• Pregabalin
• gamma-Aminobutyric Acid

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Analgesics (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Chronic Disease
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Facial Pain (complications)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Pregabalin
• Prospective Studies
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome
• Trigeminal Neuralgia (complications, drug therapy)
• gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (administration & dosage, analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)