title: Comparative clinical study of gabapentin and pregabalin for postoperative analgesia in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reduction in central sensitization by gabapentinoids that include gabapentin and pregabalin may reduce acute postoperative pain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to evaluate postoperative analgesic benefit and efficacy in patients administered with oral gabapentin or pregabalin as premedication for laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, prospective, and comparative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, recruited patients were randomly allocated in three groups. Groups A, B, and C received 2 capsules of B complex, 3 capsules of 300 mg gabapentin each, and 2 capsules of 75 mg pregabalin, respectively, each in 30 patients of each group, 1 h before induction of anesthesia. Postoperative efficacy among these three groups was compared with respect to increase in duration of analgesia, reduction in postoperative pain scores, total postoperative requirements of analgesics and side effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mean and standard deviation were calculated. Test of analysis between two groups was done by t-test and among three groups by analysis of variance, and then P value was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pregabalin and gabapentin group had lower visual analog scale (VAS) score (P < 0.05), prolonged timing of first rescue analgesic (4.67 ± 14.79 vs. 158 ± 13.10 vs. 343.16 ± 9.69) min, and less opioid consumption (169.87 ± 20.32 vs. 116.13 ± 14.08 vs. 64.67 ± 16.69) mg compared to placebo group. Between the gabapentinoids, pregabalin group had lower VAS score, prolonged timing of first rescue analgesic, and less opioids consumption than the gabapentin group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is concluded in this study that pregabalin group had lower VAS score, prolonged timing of first rescue analgesic, and less opioids consumption than the gabapentin group. Both gabapentinoids had better postoperative analgesic profile than placebo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, AIIMS, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Rajshree
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Manoj
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, M. L. N. Medical College, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chandola
keywords: Gabapentin; Ramsay sedation score; laparoscopic cholecystectomy; postoperative analgesia; pregabalin; visual analog scale