Gabapentin for chronic neuropathic pain in adults
Open accessAbstract
Background Gabapentin is commonly used to treat neuropathic pain (pain due to nerve damage). This review updates a review published in 2014, and previous reviews published in 2011, 2005 and 2000. Objectives To assess the analgesic efficacy and adverse effects of gabapentin in chronic neuropathic pain in adults. Search methods For this update we searched CENTRAL), MEDLINE, and Embase for randomised controlled trials from January 2014 to January 2017. We also searched the reference lists of retrieved studies and reviews, and online clinical trials registries. Selection criteria We included randomised, double-blind trials of two weeks' duration or longer, comparing gabapentin (any route of administration) with placebo or another active treatment for neuropathic pain, with participant-reported pain assessment. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently extracted data and assessed trial quality and potential bias. Primary outcomes were participants with substantial pain relief (at least 50% pain relief over baseline or very much improved on Patient Global Impression of Change scale (PGIC)), or moderate pain relief (at least 30% pain relief over baseline or much or very much improved on PGIC). We performed a pooled analysis for any substantial or moderate benefit. Where pooled analysis was possible, we used dichotomous data to calculate risk ratio (RR) and number needed to treat for an additional beneficial outcome (NNT) or harmful outcome (NNH). We assessed the…
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- Authors
- Wiffen, P. J., Derry, S., Bell, R. F., Rice, A. S., Tölle, T. R., Phillips, T., & Moore, R. A.
- Affiliations
- Churchill Hospital (GB)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Haukeland University Hospital (NO)
- Imperial College London (GB)
- TUM Klinikum (DE)
- Plymouth UK
- Venue
- Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2017-06-09
- Volume
- 2020
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- CD007938-CD007938
- ISSN
- 1361-6137 (ISSN-L)
- 1465-1858
- PMC
- PMC6452908
- OpenAlex
- W1553043283
- Cited by
- 561
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2026: 29 · 2025: 62 · 2024: 72 · 2023: 76 · 2022: 74 · 2021: 79 · 2020: 73 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 5.44
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Spiral (Imperial College London) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (13/89/29)
- National Institutes of Health
- Evidence Synthesis Programme
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Pain Management and Treatment
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
- Keywords
- gabapentin, chronic neuropathic pain, postherpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathic pain, gabapentin enacarbil, analgesic efficacy, adverse effects, analgesia, treatment discontinuation, risk of bias, adults, placebo comparison, antiepileptic drugs, neuropathic pain treatment, quality of evidence, GRADE, number needed to treat, number needed to harm
- MeSH terms
- Gabapentin, Adult, Amines, Analgesics, Chronic Disease, Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids, Diabetic Neuropathies, Fibromyalgia, gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Humans, Neuralgia, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Neuralgia, Postherpetic, Chronic Pain, Numbers Needed To Treat
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