title: [A randomized single blind study of the efficacy of pregabalin in the treatment of opioid withdrawal syndrome].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the efficacy and safety of pregabalin (lyrica) in the complex treatment of opioid withdrawal syndrome (OWS).
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  single-blind randomized symptom-triggered protocol with an active control. Thirty-four patients were randomly assigned to two groups. The first group (n=19) received up to 600 mg a day of pregabalin for six days along with symptomatic therapy (basic and symptom-triggered). The second group (n=15) received up to 600 micrograms of clonidine a day as the main treatment along with the same basic and symptomatic regimen. Opiate withdrawal severity, craving, sleep disturbance, anxiety and depression, as well as general clinical impressions and side-effects were assessed daily using internationally validated quantitative psychometric instruments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the pregabalin group, 15 out of 19 (79%) patients completed treatment compared to 7 out of 15 (47%) patients in the clonidine group (p=0.05; Fisher exact test). There were no statistically significant differences between groups on any assessments of the severity of OWS (reduction of the severity of opiate withdrawal), perhaps because of the small sample size. In the pregabalin group, there were lower indicators of the severity of craving for opiates (p=0.05), anxiety (p=0.05) and depression (p<0.05), while patient-rated self-assessment of their general health condition was significantly better compared to the second group (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the frequency of adverse events between the groups, though the better tolerability of treatment was noted in the pregabalin group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment regimen of OWS with pregabalin is effective and safe and patients tolerate it better that leads to a higher detoxification completion rate (retention).
authors: St. Petersburg V.M. Bekhterev Research Psychoneurological Institute, St. Peterburg, Russia.
authors: E M
authors: EM
authors: Krupitsky
authors: St. Petersburg V.M. Bekhterev Research Psychoneurological Institute, St. Peterburg, Russia.
authors: R D
authors: RD
authors: Ilyuk
authors: St. Petersburg V.M. Bekhterev Research Psychoneurological Institute, St. Peterburg, Russia.
authors: A D
authors: AD
authors: Mikhailov
authors: Murmansk Regional Addiction Hospital, Murmansk, Russia.
authors: K A
authors: KA
authors: Kazankov
authors: St. Petersburg V.M. Bekhterev Research Psychoneurological Institute, St. Peterburg, Russia.
authors: K V
authors: KV
authors: Rybakova
authors: St. Petersburg V.M. Bekhterev Research Psychoneurological Institute, St. Peterburg, Russia.
authors: E P
authors: EP
authors: Skurat
authors: St. Petersburg V.M. Bekhterev Research Psychoneurological Institute, St. Peterburg, Russia.
authors: O G
authors: OG
authors: Grishina
authors: St. Petersburg V.M. Bekhterev Research Psychoneurological Institute, St. Peterburg, Russia.
authors: I A
authors: IA
authors: Zaplatkin
authors: St. Petersburg V.M. Bekhterev Research Psychoneurological Institute, St. Peterburg, Russia.
authors: M V
authors: MV
authors: Vetrova
authors: St. Petersburg V.M. Bekhterev Research Psychoneurological Institute, St. Peterburg, Russia.
authors: N G
authors: NG
authors: Neznanov
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000009:adverse effects; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003000:Clonidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D000069583:Pregabalin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012647:Self-Assessment; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D000069583:Pregabalin; D003000:Clonidine