Lamotrigine reduces total postoperative analgesic requirement: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study.
BACKGROUND
Postoperative pain is undertreated. Lamotrigine, a new antiepileptic drug, has analgesic properties in its antisodium and antiglutamatergic effects. It may prevent postoperative pain. This pilot study assessed lamotrigine effects on postoperative pain.


METHODS
This was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study of 30 patients submitted to transurethral prostatectomy under spinal anesthesia and receiving 200 mg of lamotrigine 1 hour before spinal anesthesia.


RESULTS
We observed a statistically significant reduction in total analgesic assumption (p < 0.01) and in visual analog scale scores at 2 (p = 0.04), 4 (p < 0.01), and 6 (p = 0.04) hours after operation.


CONCLUSIONS
Lamotrigine may be an effective means of reducing postoperative pain.
Bonicalzi
V
V
Department of Neurosciences, Institute of Anesthesia, University of Turin, Torino, Italy.
Canavero
S
S
Cerutti
F
F
Piazza
M
M
Clemente
M
M
Chió
A
A
D000236:Adenoma / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010919:Placebos; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D014227:Triazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000700:Analgesics; D010919:Placebos; D014227:Triazines; D000077213:Lamotrigine