Effect of a single dose of pregabalin on herpes zoster pain

• Published in: Current controlled trials in cardiovascular medicine Vol. 12; no. 1; p. 55
• Main Authors: Jensen-Dahm, Christina, Rowbotham, Michael C, Reda, Haatem, Petersen, Karin Lottrup
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 28.02.2011; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analgesics - administration & dosage; Analgesics - adverse effects; California; Care and treatment; Cross-Over Studies; Double-Blind Method; Drug administration; Drug therapy; Female; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - administration & dosage; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - adverse effects; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - analogs & derivatives; Herpes Zoster - complications; Herpes Zoster - virology; Humans; Hyperalgesia - drug therapy; Hyperalgesia - virology; Male; Middle Aged; Pain; Pain - drug therapy; Pain - virology; Pain Measurement; Patient Selection; Pregabalin; Shingles (Disease); Treatment Outcome; Trends; Young Adult; California; United States
• ISSN: 1745-6215; 1745-6215
• DOI: 10.1186/1745-6215-12-55

The effect of pregabalin on acute herpes zoster pain has not been previously evaluated. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-session crossover study the effect of a single oral dose of pregabalin (150 mg) on pain and allodynia was evaluated in 8 subjects with herpes zoster. Over 6 hours of observation, pain decreased by a mean of 33% with pregabalin and 14% with placebo (p < 0.10). Effects on allodynia and SF-MPQ were not significant. Compared to an earlier study of gabapentin 900 mg for acute zoster pain and allodynia that followed a nearly identical protocol, pregabalin had a similar effect on pain and was well tolerated, with no difference from placebo on sleepiness. Common side effects of light-headedness, unsteady gait, and slowed thinking were almost identical to that observed in the earlier study of gabapentin. Subject recruitment proved difficult in part due to the widespread off-label use of gabapentin and pregabalin for acute zoster pain in our region of the USA. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00352651.