M. Backonja et al., GABAPENTIN FOR THE SYMPTOMATIC TREATMENT OF PAINFUL NEUROPATHY IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETES-MELLITUS - A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL, JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association, 280(21), 1998, pp. 1831-1836
Context.-Pain is the most disturbing symptom of diabetic peripheral ne
uropathy. As many as 45% of patients with diabetes mellitus develop pe
ripheral neuropathies. Objective.-To evaluate the effect of gabapentin
monotherapy on pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. D
esign.-Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 8-week trial cond
ucted between July 1996 and March 1997, Setting.-Outpatient clinics at
20 sites. Patients.-The 165 patients enrolled had a 1- to 5-year hist
ory of pain attributed to diabetic neuropathy and a minimum 40-mm pain
score on the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire visual analogue sca
le. Intervention.-Gabapentin (titrated from 900 to 3600 mg/d or maximu
m tolerated dosage) or placebo. Main Outcome Measures.-The primary eff
icacy measure was daily pain severity as measured on an 11-point Liker
t scale (0, no pain; 10, worst possible pain), Secondary measures incl
uded sleep interference scores, the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnai
re scores, Patient Global impression of Change and Clinical Global Imp
ression of Change, the Short Form-36 Quality of Life Questionnaire sco
res, and the Profile of Mood States results. Results.-Eighty-four pati
ents received gabapentin and 70 (83%) completed the study; 81 received
placebo and 65 (80%) completed the study. By intent-to-treat analysis
, gabapentin-treated patients' mean daily pain score at the study end
point (baseline, 6.4; end point, 3.9; n = 82) was significantly lower
(P<.001) compared with the placebo-treated patients' end-point score (
baseline, 6.5; end point, 5.1; n = 80). All secondary outcome measures
of pain were significantly better in the gabapentin group than in the
placebo group. Additional statistically significant differences favor
ing gabapentin treatment were observed in measures of quality of life
(Short Form-36 Quality of Life Questionnaire and Profile of Mood State
s). Adverse events experienced significantly more frequently in the ga
bapentin group were dizziness (20 [24%] in the gabapentin group vs 4 [
4.9%] in the control group; P<.001) and somnolence (19 [23%] in the ga
bapentin group vs 5 [6%] in the control group; P = .003). Confusion wa
s also more frequent in the gabapentin group (7 [8%] vs 1 [1.2%]; P =
.06). Conclusion.-Gabapentin monotherapy appears to be efficacious for
the treatment of pain and sleep interference associated with diabetic
peripheral neuropathy and exhibits positive effects on mood and quali
ty of life.