The post-operative analgesic effects of a combination of gabapentin and paracetamol in patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy: a randomized clinical trial.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of a combination of gabapentin and paracetamol with gabapentin alone and placebo on post-operative pain and morphine consumption.


METHODS
Seventy-five ASA I-II patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy were included in the study and randomly divided into three groups. Placebo capsules (Group I, n = 25), 1200 mg of gabapentin (Group II, n = 25), or 1200 mg of gabapentin and 20 mg/kg paracetamol in combination (Group III, n = 25) were administered 1 h prior to surgery. Anaesthesia was standardized for all patients. Non-invasive arterial pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, peripheral oxygen saturation, morphine consumption, nausea and vomiting, visual analogue scale-pain intensity scores (VAS-PI) and sedation scores were recorded at 1, 2, 4, 6 and 24 h following the operation.


RESULTS
Morphine consumption at 24 h was 66.60 +/- 11.49 mg, 42.74 +/- 12.33 mg and 30.50 +/- 11.55 mg, respectively, in groups I, II and III (P < 0.05). Post-operative VAS-PI scores at movement and at rest were decreased with gabapentin and even more with a combination of gabapentin and paracetamol. Post-operative sedation scores were higher in groups II and III during the initial 4 h while these scores were higher in group I at 24 h.


CONCLUSIONS
The single dose of gabapentin as well as a combination of gabapentin and paracetamol decreased the opioid requirement and increased the patients' satisfaction post-operatively.
Durmus
M
M
Department of Anaesthesiology, Inonu University, School of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey. mdurmus@inonu.edu.tr
Kadir But
A
A
Saricicek
V
V
Ilksen Toprak
H
H
Ozcan Ersoy
M
M
D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D000588:Amines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019162:Anesthetics, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000588:Amines; D000700:Analgesics; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D019162:Anesthetics, Combined; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D000082:Acetaminophen; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin; D009020:Morphine