The efficacy of pregabalin for acute pain control in herpetic neuralgia patients: A meta-analysis

Suo-Liang Wang, Huan Wang, Hui-Yong Nie, Gang Bu, Xiao-Dong Shen, Hui Wang, Suo-Liang Wang, Huan Wang, Hui-Yong Nie, Gang Bu, Xiao-Dong Shen, Hui Wang

Abstract

Objective: This meta-analysis aimed to illustrate the efficacy and safety of preganalin for pain management in patients with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).

Methods: In July 2017, a systematic computer-based search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Google database. Data on patients with PHN that compared pregabalin versus placebo were retrieved. The endpoints were the visual analog scale (VAS) at 8 weeks, the percentage of 30% and 50% pain responders; sleep interference score and improvement in patient global impression of change (PGIC). After testing for publication bias and heterogeneity between studies, data were aggregated for random-effects models when necessary.

Results: Seven clinical studies with 2192 patients (pregabalin group = 1381, control group = 811) were finally included in the meta-analysis. Pregabalin was associated with reduced pain scores at 8 weeks, corresponding to a reduction of 11.23 points (95% CI, -14.33, -8.13, P = .000) on a 100-point VAS. Pregabalin was also associated with a more percentage of 30% and 50% pain responders than controls (P < .05). Meanwhile, pregabalin can decrease sleep interference score and improvement in PGIC than control groups (P < .05).

Conclusions: Pregabalin was efficacious in the reduction of postoperative pain and improvement the sleep quality in patients with PHN.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of study search and inclusion criteria.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The risk of bias graph.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Risk of bias of included randomized controlled trials. +, no bias; –, bias; ?, bias unknown.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Forest plots of the included studies comparing the VAS at 8 weeks.
Figure 5
Figure 5
(A) Funnel plot of VAS at 8 weeks between pregabalin group and control group, (B) Begg test of VAS at 8 weeks.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Sensitivity analysis of the VAS at 8 weeks.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Scatter plot showing the relationship between the dose of pregabalin and the VAS at 8 weeks.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Forest plots of the included studies comparing the percentage of 30% pain responders.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Forest plots of the included studies comparing the percentage of 50% pain responders.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Forest plots of the included studies comparing the sleep interference score.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Forest plots of the included studies comparing the improvement in PGIC.

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