title: Pregabalin and gabapentin for post-photorefractive keratectomy pain: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of pregabalin and gabapentin for reducing post-photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this randomized clinical trial, 150 subjects undergoing PRK were allocated into 3 groups. In addition to the routine regimen, pregabalin 75 mg, gabapentin 300 mg, and placebo were administered 3 times daily for 3 days, in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Subjects could take acetaminophen-codeine 300/10 mg tablets every 4 hours as needed. Patients completed a pain assessment survey (visual analogue scale ranging from 0 = no pain to 10 = most severe pain) 7 times in the first 3 days following PRK and also recorded the number of consumed acetaminophen-codeine tablets.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age, sex, refractive error, ablation depth, and mitomycin-C (MMC) application were similar in the 3 study groups (all p values>0.05). Overall pain scores in the placebo group were 0.9 and 1 unit higher than the pregabalin (p=0.029) and gabapentin (p=0.023) groups, respectively. Severe pain (score >7) was more frequent in the placebo group on the morning of the first postoperative day (p=0.043). The difference in the number of consumed acetaminophen-codeine tablets was statistically borderline (p=0.061) and less in the pregabalin (7.9 ± 5.2) and gabapentin (9.0 ± 4.1) groups in comparison to the placebo group (10.3 ± 5.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregabalin and gabapentin seem to be helpful in alleviating post-PRK pain when combined with other measures. Depending on availability, either compound can be used as an adjuvant for pain control in this setting.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Research Center and Department of Ophthalmology, Labbafinejad Medical Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran - Iran. mohpakravan@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pakravan
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roshani
authors.forename: Shahin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yazdani
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faramazi
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yaseri
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000588:Amines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003061:Codeine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D058447:Eye Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy; D000069583:Pregabalin; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D000700:Analgesics; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D004338:Drug Combinations; C526278:acetaminophen, codeine drug combination; D000082:Acetaminophen; D000069583:Pregabalin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin; D003061:Codeine