Treatment of social phobia with gabapentin: A placebo-controlled study

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study was co nducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of gabapentin in relieving the symptoms of social phobia. Sixty-nine patients were randomly assigned to re ceive double-blind treatment with either gabapentin (dosed flexibly between 900 and 3,600 mg daily in three divided doses) or placebo for 14 weeks. A significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the symptoms of social phobia was obser ved among patients on gabapentin compared with those on placebo as evaluate d by clinician- and patient-rated scales. Results were similar for the inte nt-to-treat and week-a completer populations. Adverse events were consisten t with the known side effect profile of gabapentin. Dizziness (p = 0.05), d ry mouth (p = 0.05), somnolence, nausea, flatulence, and decreased libido o ccurred at a higher frequency among patients receiving gabapentin than amon g those receiving placebo. No serious adverse events or deaths were reporte d. On the basis of these limited data, it seems that gabapentin offers a fa vorable risk-benefit ratio for the treatment of patients with social phobia . Further studies are required to confirm this effect and to determine whet her a dose-response relationship exists.