OBJECTIVETo study the clinical effects of gabapentin on the treatment of pruritus of scar resulting from deep partial-thickness burn.

METHODSA total of fifty-eight patients suffering from pruritus of scar after deep partial-thickness burn were hospitalized from January 2013 to January 2014. Patients were divided into placebo group (n =18, treated with oral vitamin C in the dose of 100 mg for 4 weeks, twice per day) , cetirizine group (n = 20, treated with oral cetirizine in the dose of 10 mg for 4 weeks, twice per day) , and gabapentin group (n = 20, treated with oral gabapentin in the dose of 300 mg for 4 weeks, twice per day) . Before treatment and on post treatment day (PTD) 3 and 28, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to assess the itching degree, and the mean scores were recorded. The remission rates of pruritus on PTD 3 and 28 were calculated. The adverse effects were observed during treatment. Data were processed with analysis of variance, q test, and chi-square test.

RESULTSCompared with that before treatment, the itching degree of patients with light, moderate, and severe itching in placebo group was not relieved after treatment; the itching degree of patients with moderate or severe itching in cetirizine group was alleviated after treatment, but not in patients with light itching; itching degree of all patients in gabapentin group was significantly relieved after treatment. There were no obvious differences in VAS scores among the 3 groups before treatment (F = 2.78, P > 0.05). On PTD 3 and 28, the VAS scores of patients in both gabapentin group [(2.3 ± 0.8) and (0.6 ± 0.3) points] and cetirizine group [(4.2 ± 1.7) and (2.8 ± 1.2) points] were lower than those in placebo group [(5.7 ± 2.0) and (5.7 ± 1.9) points, with q values from 6.70 to 7.75, P values below 0.05]. The VAS scores of patients in gabapentin group on PTD 3 and 28 were lower than those in cetirizine group (with q values respectively 6.30 and 6.90, P values below 0.05). The remission rates of pruritus of patients in gabapentin group on PTD 3 and 28 were respectively (66 ± 20)% and (91 ± 17)%, and they were higher than those in cetirizine group [(33 ± 8)% and (56 ± 14)%, with q values respectively 4.70 and 3.82, P values below 0.05]. The remission rate of pruritus of patients in placebo group on PTD 3 and 28 was 0, which was lower than that of the other 2 groups each (with q values from 3.94 to 6.76, P values below 0.05). During the course of treatment, 5 patients in gabapentin group suffered from adverse effects including mild-to-moderate drowsiness and dizziness, but they disappeared one week later. No adverse effects were observed in patients of the other two groups.

CONCLUSIONSFor patients with deep partial-thickness burn, gabapentin can effectively alleviate scar itching after wound healing with safety.