12 Aug 2023 • Among patients undergoing spine surgery, perioperative treatment with 900 mg/day of gabapentin provided the best pain management with advantages for reducing opioid use, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of recent randomized, controlled trials.

The gabapentinoids gabapentin and pregabalin were both shown to be effective for reducing postoperative pain in the analysis, published online August 9 in the journal JAMA Network Open. But gabapentin at a perioperative dose of 900 mg was associated with the lowest Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores and proved best for reducing opioid consumption, compared to gabapentin at higher (1200 mg) and lower (300 mg, 600 mg) doses and pregabalin at all doses examined.

""We analyzed data from 27 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 1,861 patients and found that gabapentin 900 mg per day was associated with the lowest VAS pain score among all dosages,"" wrote researcher Tung Yi Lin, MD, of Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, and colleagues.

No statistically significant difference in adverse events (nausea, vomiting, and dizziness) were recorded among the different dosages and treatment treatments.

Source: JAMA Network Open | Read full story