Table 1

Included, randomized, double-blind, controlled studies of gabapentin in postoperative pain.

Reference
Quality Score
Surgical procedure
η gabapentin/placebo
Gabapentin dosing & administration
Analgesic and delivery
Effect on analgesic consumption (24 hours)
Effect on pain score at rest (6 h)
Effect on pain score at rest (24 h)
Side-effects

Dierking 2004 [27]
5
Abdominal hysterectomy
39/32
1200 mg 1 h pre-op. + 600 mg × 3
PCA – morphine
Morphine reduced from 63 to 43 mg
NS
NS
NS
Turan 2004a [28]
5
Abdominal hysterectomy
25/25
1200 mg 1 h pre-op.
PCA – tramadol intravenously
Tramadol reduced from 420 to 270 mg
VAS lower with gabapentin (P = 0.000)
VAS lower with gabapentin (P = 0.000)
NS
Gilron 2004 [30]
5
Abdominal hysterectomy
23/24
600 mg 1 h pre-op. + 600 mg × 2
PCA -morphine
Morphine reduced from 82 to 57 mg
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.001)
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.02)
Sedation increased with gabapentin
Turan 2006a [29]
5
Abdominal hysterectomy
25/25
1200 mg 1 h pre-op.
PCA -morphine
Morphine reduced from 53 to 41 mg
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.01)
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)
NS
Fassoulaki 2006 [31]
3
Abdominal hysterectomy
25/28
400 mg × 4 initiated day before surgery
PCA – morphine
Morphine reduced from 26 to 20 mg
NS
NS

Pandey 2004a [32]
4
Lumbar discoidectomy
28/28
300 mg 2 h pre-op.
Fentanyl on demand
Fentanyl reduced from 360 to 234 ug
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)
NS
Pandey 2005a [24]
5
Lumbar discoidectomy
4 × 20/20
300–600–900–1200 mg 2 h pre-op. (4 diff. groups)
PCA-fentanyl
Fentanyl reduced from 1218 to 627–988 ug
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)
NS
Turan 2004b [33]
5
Lumbar discoidectomy or spinal fusion
25/25
1200 mg 1 h pre-op.
PCA-morphine
Morphine reduced from 43 to 16 mg
VAS lower with gabapentin. (P < 0.01)
NS
Vomiting reduced with gabapentin
Radhakrishnan 2005 [34]
4
Lumbar discoidectomy/laminectomy
30/30
400 mg night before surgery + 400 mg 2 h pre-op.
PCA-morphine (study lasted for 8 h)
NS (study lasted for 8 h)
NS

NS
Dirks 2002 [35]
5
Radical mastectomy
31/34
1200 mg 1 h preop.
PCA-morphine (study lasted for 4 h)
Morphine reduced from 29 to 15 mg
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.018)

NS
Fassoulaki 2002 [36]
4
Matectomy or lumpectomy with axillary dissection
22/24
400 mg × 3 starting the evening before surgery
On demand. (Propoxyphene & paracetamol given i.m.)
NS
NS
NS
NS
Pandey 2005b [26]
5
Nefrectomy
2 × 20/20
Pre-incision (2 h pre-op.)/post-incision groups. 600 mg in both.
PCA-fentanyl
Fentanyl reduced from 925 to 563 ug/624 ug
VAS lower with gabapentin in both groups (P < 0.05)
VAS lower with gabapentin in both groups (P < 0.05)
NS
Bartholdy 2006 [38]
5
Laparascopic sterilization
38/38
1200 mg 1/2 h pre-op.
PCA-morphine (Study lasted for 4 h)
NS
NS
NS
NS
Pandey 2004b [37]
3
Laparascopic chole-cystectomy
153/153
300 mg 2 h pre-op.
Fentanyl on demand.
Fentanyl reduced from 356 to 221 ug
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)
Sedation + PONV increased with gabapentin
Omran 2005 [39]
5
Pulmonal lobectomy
25/25
1200 mg 1 h pre-op. and 600 mg × 2
PCA-morphine
Morphine reduced from 32 to 24 mg
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.05)
NS, vomiting reduced with gabapentin
Tuncer 2005 [25]
1
Major orthopedic surgery
2 × 15/15
1200 – 800 mg 1 h pre-op.
PCA-morphine (Study lasted only 4 hours)
Morphine reduced from 21 to 11 mg/15 mg
NS

NS
Menigaux 2005 [40]
5
Arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament repair
20/20
1200 mg 1–2 h preop.
PCA-morphine
Morphine reduced from 48 to 21 mg
NS
NS
NS
Adam 2006 [41]
5
Arthropscopic shoulder surgery
27/26
800 mg 2 h pre-op.
Nerveblock + on demand paracetamol + propoxyphene
NS
NS
NS
NS
Turan 2007 [42]
5
Hand surgery
20/20
1200 mg 1 h pre-op.
IVRA + diclofenac according to VAS score
Diclofenac reduced from 63 to 30 mg
NS
NS
NS
Turan 2006b [43]
5
Lower extremity plastic surgery
20/20
1200 mg 1 h pre-op.
PCEA bolus (bupivacaine and fentanyl)
PCEA bolus reduced with gabapentin
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.001)
NS
NS, dizziness increased with gabapentin
Al-Mujadi 2006 [45]
5
Thyroid surgery
37/35
1200 mg 2 h pre-op.
Morphine according to VAS score
Morphine reduced from 30 to 15 mg
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.01)
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.01)
NS
Mikkelsen 2006 [46]
5
Tonsillectomy
22/27
1200 mg 1 h pre-op. + 600 mg × 2
Morphine on demand + tbl. Ketobemidone by patient
Morphine NS. Ketobemidone reduced from 4.5 to 2.0 mg
NS
NS
Dizziness & vomiting increased with gabapentin
Turan 2004c [44]
5
Ear-Nose-Throat surgery
25/25
1200 mg 1 h pre-op.
Diclofenac according to VAS
Diclofenac reduced from 111 to 33 mg
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < = .001)
VAS lower with gabapentin (P < 0.001)
NS, dizziness increased with gabapentin

PCA, patient-controlled analgesia; NS, not significant; pre-op, pre-operatively; VAS, visual analogue scale; IVRA, intravenous regional anaesthesia; PCEA, patient-controlled epidural analgesia;

Mathiesen et al. BMC Anesthesiology 2007 7:6   doi:10.1186/1471-2253-7-6