Pregabalin's Effect on Herpes Zoster Pain
Author Information
Author(s): Christina Jensen-Dahm, Michael C Rowbotham, Haatem Reda, Karin Lottrup Petersen
Primary Institution: University of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
Hypothesis
The study evaluates the effect of a single oral dose of pregabalin on pain and allodynia in subjects with herpes zoster.
Conclusion
Pregabalin showed a trend for reducing acute zoster pain, similar to gabapentin, but was not significantly different from placebo.
Supporting Evidence
- Pregabalin reduced pain by a mean of 33% compared to 14% with placebo.
- The study was closed early due to slow enrollment.
- Common side effects were similar to those observed with gabapentin.
Takeaway
This study tested a medicine called pregabalin to see if it helps with pain from shingles, and it seemed to help a little, but not a lot.
Methodology
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-session crossover study was conducted.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the small sample size and recruitment difficulties.
Limitations
Recruitment was challenging due to the off-label use of pregabalin and gabapentin for acute zoster pain.
Participant Demographics
Participants were medically stable adults with unilateral herpes zoster pain.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.096
Confidence Interval
95% CI: -42.5% to +4.5%
Statistical Significance
p < 0.10
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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