Abstract
We retrospectively analyzed the efficacy and side effects of gabapentin for the treatment of intractable neuropathic pain in 28 patients (postherpetic neuralgia [n=8], complex regional pain syndrome type I [n=6] and type II [n=2], brachial plexus injury [n=2], spinal cord injury [n=2], and others [n=8]). Gabapentin was begun at a mean of 42 months after the first visit to our department with initial doses of 200-600mg/day. The dose was titrated in each patient. The pain in 14 patients (50 %) significantly decreased after treatment with gabapentin with doses of 200-2400mg/day. The most frequent side-effects were somnolence (29 %) and nausea (21 %); 8 patients withdrew gabapentin because of side-effects. However, there were no major severe side effects in our patients. We conclude that gabapentin is efficacious for the treatment of neuropathic pain syndoromes in some selected patients.
