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Table 1 Included, randomized, double-blind, controlled studies of gabapentin in postoperative pain.

From: Gabapentin and postoperative pain: a qualitative and quantitative systematic review, with focus on procedure

Reference

Quality Score

Surgical procedure

η gabapentin/placebo

Gabapentin dosing & administration

Analgesic and delivery

Effect on analgesic consumption (24 hours)

Effect on pain score at rest (6 h)

Effect on pain score at rest (24 h)

Side-effects

Dierking 2004 [27]

5

Abdominal hysterectomy

39/32

1200 mg 1 h pre-op. + 600 mg × 3

PCA – morphine

Morphine reduced from 63 to 43 mg

NS

NS

NS

Turan 2004a [28]

5

Abdominal hysterectomy

25/25

1200 mg 1 h pre-op.

PCA – tramadol intravenously

Tramadol reduced from 420 to 270 mg

VAS lower with gabapentin (P = 0.000)

VAS lower with gabapentin (P = 0.000)

NS

Gilron 2004 [30]

5

Abdominal hysterectomy

23/24

600 mg 1 h pre-op. + 600 mg × 2

PCA -morphine

Morphine reduced from 82 to 57 mg

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.001)

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.02)

Sedation increased with gabapentin

Turan 2006a [29]

5

Abdominal hysterectomy

25/25

1200 mg 1 h pre-op.

PCA -morphine

Morphine reduced from 53 to 41 mg

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.01)

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)

NS

Fassoulaki 2006 [31]

3

Abdominal hysterectomy

25/28

400 mg × 4 initiated day before surgery

PCA – morphine

Morphine reduced from 26 to 20 mg

NS

NS

 

Pandey 2004a [32]

4

Lumbar discoidectomy

28/28

300 mg 2 h pre-op.

Fentanyl on demand

Fentanyl reduced from 360 to 234 ug

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)

NS

Pandey 2005a [24]

5

Lumbar discoidectomy

4 × 20/20

300–600–900–1200 mg 2 h pre-op. (4 diff. groups)

PCA-fentanyl

Fentanyl reduced from 1218 to 627–988 ug

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)

NS

Turan 2004b [33]

5

Lumbar discoidectomy or spinal fusion

25/25

1200 mg 1 h pre-op.

PCA-morphine

Morphine reduced from 43 to 16 mg

VAS lower with gabapentin. (P < 0.01)

NS

Vomiting reduced with gabapentin

Radhakrishnan 2005 [34]

4

Lumbar discoidectomy/laminectomy

30/30

400 mg night before surgery + 400 mg 2 h pre-op.

PCA-morphine (study lasted for 8 h)

NS (study lasted for 8 h)

NS

 

NS

Dirks 2002 [35]

5

Radical mastectomy

31/34

1200 mg 1 h preop.

PCA-morphine (study lasted for 4 h)

Morphine reduced from 29 to 15 mg

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.018)

 

NS

Fassoulaki 2002 [36]

4

Matectomy or lumpectomy with axillary dissection

22/24

400 mg × 3 starting the evening before surgery

On demand. (Propoxyphene & paracetamol given i.m.)

NS

NS

NS

NS

Pandey 2005b [26]

5

Nefrectomy

2 × 20/20

Pre-incision (2 h pre-op.)/post-incision groups. 600 mg in both.

PCA-fentanyl

Fentanyl reduced from 925 to 563 ug/624 ug

VAS lower with gabapentin in both groups (P < 0.05)

VAS lower with gabapentin in both groups (P < 0.05)

NS

Bartholdy 2006 [38]

5

Laparascopic sterilization

38/38

1200 mg 1/2 h pre-op.

PCA-morphine (Study lasted for 4 h)

NS

NS

NS

NS

Pandey 2004b [37]

3

Laparascopic chole-cystectomy

153/153

300 mg 2 h pre-op.

Fentanyl on demand.

Fentanyl reduced from 356 to 221 ug

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)

Sedation + PONV increased with gabapentin

Omran 2005 [39]

5

Pulmonal lobectomy

25/25

1200 mg 1 h pre-op. and 600 mg × 2

PCA-morphine

Morphine reduced from 32 to 24 mg

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)

NS, vomiting reduced with gabapentin

Tuncer 2005 [25]

1

Major orthopedic surgery

2 × 15/15

1200 – 800 mg 1 h pre-op.

PCA-morphine (Study lasted only 4 hours)

Morphine reduced from 21 to 11 mg/15 mg

NS

 

NS

Menigaux 2005 [40]

5

Arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament repair

20/20

1200 mg 1–2 h preop.

PCA-morphine

Morphine reduced from 48 to 21 mg

NS

NS

NS

Adam 2006 [41]

5

Arthropscopic shoulder surgery

27/26

800 mg 2 h pre-op.

Nerveblock + on demand paracetamol + propoxyphene

NS

NS

NS

NS

Turan 2007 [42]

5

Hand surgery

20/20

1200 mg 1 h pre-op.

IVRA + diclofenac according to VAS score

Diclofenac reduced from 63 to 30 mg

NS

NS

NS

Turan 2006b [43]

5

Lower extremity plastic surgery

20/20

1200 mg 1 h pre-op.

PCEA bolus (bupivacaine and fentanyl)

PCEA bolus reduced with gabapentin

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.001)

NS

NS, dizziness increased with gabapentin

Al-Mujadi 2006 [45]

5

Thyroid surgery

37/35

1200 mg 2 h pre-op.

Morphine according to VAS score

Morphine reduced from 30 to 15 mg

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.01)

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.01)

NS

Mikkelsen 2006 [46]

5

Tonsillectomy

22/27

1200 mg 1 h pre-op. + 600 mg × 2

Morphine on demand + tbl. Ketobemidone by patient

Morphine NS. Ketobemidone reduced from 4.5 to 2.0 mg

NS

NS

Dizziness & vomiting increased with gabapentin

Turan 2004c [44]

5

Ear-Nose-Throat surgery

25/25

1200 mg 1 h pre-op.

Diclofenac according to VAS

Diclofenac reduced from 111 to 33 mg

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < = .001)

VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.001)

NS, dizziness increased with gabapentin

  1. PCA, patient-controlled analgesia; NS, not significant; pre-op, pre-operatively; VAS, visual analogue scale; IVRA, intravenous regional anaesthesia; PCEA, patient-controlled epidural analgesia;