Use of gabapentin in pain management

There have been many proposed uses for gabapentin, including midscapular pain secondary to radiation myelopathy, RSD, neuropathic pain, postherpetic neuralgia, and migraine prophylaxis. However, the published reports consist of a small number of patients and limited data. Limited data provided in published case reports do not allow adequate evaluation of expected adverse effects or efficacy. It is unclear whether gabapentin is more effective for a specific type of pain and how gabapentin may compare with placebo or other therapeutic alternatives. Therefore, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, prospective studies are warranted to further elucidate gabapentin uses beyond what is recommended by the Food and Drug Administration. Gabapentin should only be considered for pain management after well-established therapies have failed to produce desired outcomes.

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				C. M. Morello, S. G. Leckband, C. P. Stoner, D. F. Moorhouse, and G. A. Sahagian Randomized Double-blind Study Comparing the Efficacy of Gabapentin With Amitriptyline on Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Pain Arch Intern Med, September 13, 1999; 159(16): 1931 - 1937. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]