title: Gabapentenoids in pain management in urological chronic pelvic pain syndrome: Gabapentin or pregabalin?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare efficacy of gabapentin and pregabalin in patients with urological chronic pelvic-pain syndrome (UCPPS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Design-retrospective, setting-urology outpatient services of a secondary-care private hospital, inclusion criteria-men 18-50 years, presenting with pelvic pain (lower abdomen, groin, scrotum, perineum, low-back, hip) with or without lower urinary tract symptoms for at least 3 months duration. Hospital database was searched using keywords for neuropathic pain (ICD9-729.2, 719.45) and prostatitis (ICD9-601.1, 601.9). Clinical data were retrieved from patient-records, laboratory and radiology data, and analyzed using SPSS-19 statistical software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between Mar 2013 and Oct 2015, data of consecutive 119 patients fulfilling the above criteria was analyzed. Median age of patients was 35 years (IQR 29-43) and median duration of symptoms 12 months (IQR 6-24 months). Before treatment median VAS (0-10) pain score was 5 (IQR 4-6). Gabapentin was significantly more effective in controlling pain compared to pregabalin. Three fourth of patients on gabapentin alone (47/62) reported at least 50% improvement in pain compared to only 40% on pregabalin alone (12/30) (P = 0.0012; χ2= 9.765. NNT 2.9, 95%CI 1.8-6.5). Twenty patients who were initially put on pregabalin had to switch to gabapentin for lack of efficacy. Forty four percent of patients on pregabalin required amitriptyline (24/54) compared to only 13.6% of those on gabapentin (10/72) required the same (P value of difference 0.0001; χ2= 14.622. NNT 4, CI 95% 2.2-6.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gabapentin may be more effective than pregabalin in UCPPS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, NMC Specialty Hospital, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Mayank Mohan
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, NMC Specialty Hospital, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Mudelin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elsi Sy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000588:Amines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000188:drug therapy; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069583:Pregabalin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D000700:Analgesics; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D000069583:Pregabalin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin
keywords: gabapentin; pelvic pain; pregabalin; prostatitis