title: Gabapentin and uremic pruritus in hemodialysis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pruritus is a common and bothersome problem in 30-50% of hemodialysis patients. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of gabapentin, 100 mg/three times a week (after each hemodialysis session), on uremic pruritus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients older than 18 years who had undergone hemodialysis for more than three months were enrolled in this double-blind clinical trial. They had experienced pruritus refractory to antihistamines for at least two weeks. The patients were assigned to receive gabapentin 100 mg following hemodialysis for a period of four weeks, and after a washout week, they received the placebo for another four weeks. They were asked to evaluate the severity of their pruritus using a visual analogue scale (VAS). The reduction of pruritus >or= 50% was accepted as the response.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean pruritus score reached 6.44 +/- 8.4 (p < 0.0001), 15 +/- 11.2 (p < 0.001), and 81.11 +/- 11.07 (p < 0.001) during gabapentin, washout, and placebo periods, respectively. No significant correlation was found between age, sex, duration of dialysis, underlying diseases, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures and the gabapentin effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gabapentin is an effective agent in treating uremic pruritus.
authors.affiliation: Internal Diseases Department (Nephrology), Sina Hospital, Urology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. effat162@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Effat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Razeghi
authors.forename: Delaram
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eskandari
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ganji
authors.forename: Ali Pasha
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Meysamie
authors.forename: Mansooreh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Togha
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Khashayar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000588:Amines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011537:Pruritus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014511:Uremia / Q000150:complications*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin