No abstract available.
Amines ; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Hiccup

Herpes zoster is an infective skin disease that is encountered commonly in dermatologic field. The best known complication of herpes zoster is postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Also, many patients with herpes zoster experience neuropathic itch with or without pain. Those postherpetic itches (PHI) are rare, but some patients injure themselves by scratching skin with severe itching sensation, and with the loss of the protective sensation. So, PHI should be considered when evaluating a patient after an occurance of herpes zoster. Gabapentin has been successfully used to treat PHI in some cases. We report a case of postherpetic itch that has been successfully treated with gabapentin, as an unusual clinical presentation.
Amines ; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic ; Pruritus ; Sensation ; Skin ; Skin Diseases

BACKGROUND: The major disadvantage of rocuronium is the withdrawal movement associated with its injection. The analgesic effect of perioperative gabapentin has been evaluated. We investigated the effects of gabapentin on the withdrawal movement induced by rocuronium injection. METHODS: 86 ASA physical status I or II patients, aged 18-69 years who were scheduled to undergo elective surgery with general anesthesia were enrolled. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups to receive either gabapentin 600 mg or placebo 2 hours prior to surgery. The patient's response to rocuronium injection was graded using a 4-point scale. RESULTS: The incidence of withdrawal movement after rocuronium administration was significantly lower in the gabapentin group (55.0% in the control group vs 28.6% in the gabapentin group). The number of patients with generalized response indicating severe pain, was 9 (22.5%) in the control group and 3 (7.1%) in the gabapentin group. CONCLUSIONS: Pretreatment with a single oral dose of gabapentin 600 mg reduced the incidence and severity of withdrawal movement after rocuronium administration.
Aged ; Amines ; Androstanols ; Anesthesia, General ; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Humans ; Incidence

BACKGROUND: Gabapentin decreases acute nociceptive pain in animal and human studies when given before surgical incision. Various doses of gabapentin have been used (300-1,200 mg) to measure this preemptive effect. Here, we evaluated the optimal dose of gabapentin for reducing fentanyl consumption and the adverse effects of gabapentin following gynecologic surgery. METHODS: We recruited 100 patients who underwent laparotomy for gynecologic surgery. Patients were randomly divided into 4 groups and received a placebo (control), gabapentin 300 mg (G 300), gabapentin 600 mg (G 600), or gabapentin 1,200 mg (G 1200) 2 h before surgery. Postoperatively, patients received fentanyl via an intravenous patient controlled analgesia device. The cumulative fentanyl doses were recorded 2, 6, 12, 24 h, and 48 h postoperatively, and the sedation scale was recorded in the post anesthetic care unit (PACU). RESULTS: The postoperative fentanyl requirement was lower with gabapentin treatment, but there was no significant differences for the different doses. PACU sedation scores were not different in any group. CONCLUSIONS: Gabapentin has a preemptive effect in gynecologic surgery, but there were no additional fentanyl-sparing benefits at doses above 300 mg. Thus, 300 mg is an optimal dose for decreasing fentanyl consumption following gynecologic surgery.
Amines ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Animals ; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids ; Female ; Fentanyl ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Gynecologic Surgical Procedures ; Humans ; Laparotomy ; Nociceptive Pain

BACKGROUND: Gabapentin is a safe and well-tolerated anticonvulsant with a wide therapeutic index, and it is used for neuropathic pain. The aim of this study was to compare previous dosing methods with the administration of four different doses of gabapentin while maintaining the same maximum daily dose for the safe administration of high doses of the medication. METHODS: The subjects were outpatients with various neuropathic pain syndromes, with at least two of the following symptoms: allodynia, burning pain, shooting pain, or hyperalgesia. The TID group received equal doses of gabapentin 3 times per day, while the QID group received 4 different doses of gabapentin per day. The pain score, frequency of breakthrough pain (BTP), severity and the duration of pain, sleep disturbance due to nocturnal pain, and adverse effects were recorded each day. RESULTS: The average daily pain score and sleep disturbance were significantly reduced in the QID group between days 3 and 10 of the experiment. The adverse effects of the medication were also reduced in the QID group. However, the frequency of BTP and severity and duration of pain were not significantly different between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of 4 different doses of gabapentin during the initial titration in outpatients with neuropathic pain resulted in a significant reduction in awakening from breakthrough pain and a reduction in the adverse effects of the medication.
Ambulatory Care ; Amines ; Breakthrough Pain ; Burns ; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids ; Drug Administration Schedule ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Humans ; Hyperalgesia ; Neuralgia ; Outpatients

BACKGROUND: Postoperative sore throat (POST) is considered a usual complication after tracheal intubation, especially, thyroid surgery. Gabapentin is a widely studied multimodal perioperative drug, which can be used to treat acute postoperative pain. The primary endpoints of this study was a reduction of the incidence of POST at rest and during the swallowing movements after thyroid surgery. And the second endpoints was a reduction of the intensity of the POST after thyroid surgery. METHODS: Seventy-one patients that underwent elective thyroid surgery received either gabapentin (Neurontin(TM) 600 mg) or placebo, orally, one hour before anesthesia. The VAS scores and incidences of POST and adverse effects were determined at 1 hr, 6 hr, 12 hr, and 24 hr after surgery at rest and during swallowing movement. RESULTS: The gabapentin group (N = 36) showed a lower incidence of POST than the placebo group (N = 35) (47% vs. 78%, P = 0.038), and had significant lower VAS score at 6 and 24 hours after surgery in the resting state. However, during the movement, no intergroup differences were found in terms of the incidence of POST (83% vs. 91%, P = 0.305) or VAS score. Furthermore, no significant difference was observed between the two groups, in adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: Gabapentin (Neurontin(TM) 600 mg) administered 1 hr before anesthesia reduced the intensity and incidence of POST during the resting state without a significant adverse event, during the 24 hr after thyroid surgery. However, gabapentin did not reduce the intensity and incidence of POST during the swallowing movement.
Amines ; Anesthesia ; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids ; Deglutition ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intubation ; Pain, Postoperative ; Pharyngitis ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms

Gabapentin is used as an effective drug for relieving pain, but the main mechanism is still unclear. Recently, voltage-gated Ca2+ channel subunits are suggested for the main target for the analgesic action of gabapentin. We wonder whether gabapentin directly modulates other specific ion channels peripherally expressed in the sensory neurons. To test this, we used a heterologous expression system in which the cell lines transiently expressed thermosensitive transient receptor potential ion channels (thermoTRPs) as well as the primary cultured mouse trigeminal neurons. The application of gabapentin reduced the increases in the intracellular Ca2+ level caused by TRPA1 activation in the heterologous expression system whereas the responses via actions of other thermoTRPs were not dramatically affected by the gabapentin treatment. Gabapentin also attenuated the TRPA1-mediated intracellular Ca2+ increases in the cultured trigeminal neurons. These findings suggest TRPA1 in the peripheral sensory neurons as a novel target for the analgesic of gabapentin.
Acrolein ; Amines ; Animals ; Cell Line ; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Ion Channels ; Mice ; Neurons ; Sensory Receptor Cells ; Trigeminal Ganglion

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) refers to a collection of symptoms of patients who complain about burning sensation of their mouths without any specific causes. Although this is not a rare disease, the etiology and effective treatment are not well established. We tried to compare the efficacy and side effects of the agents that are reported to be relatively effective to BMS. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Fifty-one patients who were diagnosed as BMS were chosen as candidates. Trazodone, Paroxetine, Clonazepam, and Gabapentin, which were known to be effective medicines for BMS in previous research were prescribed randomly. We prescribed medication for two weeks and evaluated patients for the effect and side effects at the end of the treatment. The medication was prescribed for 2 more weeks and the patients were evaluated again. RESULTS: Three of 11 (27.3%) patients were prescribed Trazodone, 8 of 12 (66.7%) Paroxetine, 8 of 14 (57.1%) Clonazepam and 12 of 14 (85.7%) Gabapentin. Q showed improvements after 4 weeks of medication. The differential effectiveness among the medications was not significant, except for the inferiority of Trazodone. Five of 11 (45.5%) patients who had been prescribed Trazodone, 2 of 12 (16.7%) who had been prescribed Paroxetine, 2 of 14 (14.3%) who had been prescribed Clonazepam, 2 of 14 (14.3%) who had been prescribed Gabapentin complained of side effects during 4 weeks of medication. CONCLUSION: We can expect high success rates of treatment for burning mouth syndrome with Paroxetine, Clonazepam and Gabapentin. A further study for long term outcomes and side effects in large groups is warranted.
Amines ; Burning Mouth Syndrome ; Burns ; Clonazepam ; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Humans ; Mouth ; Paroxetine ; Rare Diseases ; Sensation ; Trazodone

PURPOSE: Triple therapy with gabapentin, amitriptyline, and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs is efficacious for chronic bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC). However, transient, fluctuating, worsening pain or flare-up symptoms may develop during treatment for a variety of reasons. Here, we assessed the validity of our observational experience regarding a short course of oral prednisolone therapy, which might be of value in the management of flare-up symptoms of BPS/IC. METHODS: Between May 2007 and May 2012, 7 women (mean age, 61.5 years; range, 44.8 to 75.4 years) with BPS/IC presenting with transient, fluctuating, worsening pain as a flare-up symptom despite low-dose triple therapy received a 1- to 3-month course of oral prednisolone 10 mg. The outcome measures used were the IC symptom scale (ICSS, O'Leary-Sant Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index) and a visual analogue scale (VAS), which were completed at baseline and after treatment. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in the ICSS and VAS score before and after prednisolone treatment (P<0.05 by Wilcoxon singed-rank test). The pretreatment IC symptom index (ICSI), IC problem index (ICPI), and VAS score were 16.7+/- 2.2, 13.7+/-2.3, and 8.3+/-1.5 (mean+/-standard deviation [SD]), and the posttreatment scores were 4.9+/-2.3, 4.3+/-1.1, and 2.5+/-0.9 (mean+/-SD), respectively. The ICSI, ICPI, and VAS scores were improved after prednisolone treatment by 70.7%, 68.6%, and 69.9%, respectively. Low-dose triple therapy with prednisolone caused no significant adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with BPS/IC who show transient, fluctuating, worsening pain as flare-up symptoms despite undergoing low-dose triple therapy, a short course of oral prednisolone therapy was sufficiently effective. However, large-scale studies should be performed to verify our findings.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Amines ; Amitriptyline ; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids ; Cystitis ; Cystitis, Interstitial ; Female ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Humans ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Pain Measurement ; Prednisolone ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Urinary Bladder

PURPOSE: Vulvodynia is characterized by chronic vulvar pain caused by sexual intercourse and often results in female sexual dysfunction. Because the causes of vulvodynia are not clear, many patients do not receive optimal treatment. Recently, gabapentin and botulinum toxin A have both been shown to be effective treatments for vulvodynia. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical outcomes of botulinum toxin A and gabapentin treatment for chronic pain in women with this condition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-three women with vulvar pain were administered either gabapentin (n=62) or botulinum toxin A (n=11) injections. Effectiveness was measured by use of a visual analogue scale (VAS). We analyzed the treatment method, treatment duration, success of treatment, and side effects or adverse reactions. RESULTS: Pain levels in both groups significantly decreased after treatment. In the gabapentin group, the VAS score decreased from 8.6 before treatment to 3.2 after treatment (p<0.001). The VAS score in the botulinum toxin A group was reduced from 8.1 to 2.5 (p<0.001). Side effects for both therapies were few and subsided with treatment with general antibiotics and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Gabapentin and botulinum toxin A are safe and effective treatments for vulvodynia. This condition can cause sexual dysfunction and affect quality of life. However, with proper management, satisfactory outcomes for women with vulvodynia can be achieved.
Amines ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Botulinum Toxins ; Chronic Pain ; Coitus ; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids ; Dyspareunia ; Female ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Humans ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies ; Vulvodynia