Efficacy and Safety of Pregabalin in Neuropathic Pain Followed Spinal Cord Injury: A Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE

Pregabalin has been approved for the treatment of the neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury (SCI). We performed a systemic review and meta-analysis of randomized, controlled, multicenter trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pregabalin for SCI-induced neuropathic pain.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Research searching was performed in PubMed and EMBASE databases and the Cochrane library in May 2018. Clinical controlled trials using pregabalin for the pain treatment following SCI in adults (18 y old and above) were included. Pain and safety-related adverse events were considered as outcomes. Meta-analysis was conducted using Revman 5.0 software.

RESULTS

Five publications (pregabalin, patients=261, placebo, patients=216) were included in our study. After at least 4-week's treatment with pregabalin (flexible dose, 150 to 600 mg/d), pregabalin-treated patients showed reduced pain -1.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-2.33, -0.75), P=0.0001; improved >30% 1.83, 95% CI (1.37, 2.46), P<0.0001 and >50% pain relief 2.40, 95% CI (1.53, 3.77), P=0.0001; increased adverse events 1.36, 95% CI (1.18, 1.577), P<0.0001; and reduced Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - anxiety -1.50, 95% CI (-2.99, -0.00), P=0.05 and - depression -0.34, 95% CI (-0.55, -0.12), P=0.002 scores compared with placebo-treated patients. Stratified meta-analysis showed there was no difference in primary adverse events (drowsiness, dizziness, peripheral edema, and dry mouth) between pregabalin and placebo groups (P≥0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results showed pregabalin was efficacious and might be safe treatment for chronic pain followed SCI.