Comparison of analgesic effects of Gabapentin and Paracetamol post-operatively in patients with hand injury

Abstract

Objectives: To compare the analgesic effects of gabapentin and paracetamol post-operatively in patients with hand injury.

Methods: The double-blind, randomised control trial was conducted at the Department of Plastic Surgery, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, from March to August 2019, and comprised subjects aged 18-60 years with hand injury who were randomly divided into group I which received gabapentin 600mg and group II which received paracetamol 1000 mg through anonymous packaging. Pain intensity was assessed using the visual analogue scale along with a self-designed questionnaire which was filled twice post-operatively; first at the time of drug intake once orally allowed; and thereafter six hours later. Data was analysed using SPSS 22.

Results: Of the 50 subjects, there were 25(50%) in each of the two groups. Overall, there were 41(82%) males and 9(18%) females. The mean age of the total sample was 28.64±6.72 years. The most frequent side-effect reported in both groups was nausea; 11(44%) in group I and 9(36%) in group II. The least reported side-effect in group I was double vision 1(4%) which was not reported at all in group II and the least reported side-effect was dry mouth 1(4%). The analgesic effect between the groups were not significantly different (p>0.05).

Conclusions: Both gabapentin and paracetamol were found to be effective in pain management, but the latter had slightly better pain control with relatively less side-effects.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04068506.

Keywords: Pain, Hand injury, Gabapentin, Paracetamol..