Gabapentin and Chronic Post Surgical Pain

Emory University

Overview

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a common pain medication (gabapentin) on chronic postsurgical pain in pediatric patients who require surgery for idiopathic scoliosis.

Pain after surgery can last for a long time. When it lasts for over two months, it is considered chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP). This is a problem in kids and adolescents that can impact many areas of the patient's life and their family. Many patients who undergo surgery for their scoliosis develop CPSP. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a common pain medication (gabapentin) on chronic postsurgical pain in pediatric patients who require surgery for idiopathic scoliosis.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Conditions

Pain, Postoperative Scoliosis Idiopathic

Interventions

GabapentinDRUG

Gabapentin (10 mg/kg up to 600 mg) will be given 30 minutes prior to being transported to the operating room. The gabapentin will be in the standard liquid with a concentration of 250mg/5mL. Starting postoperative day 1, patients in the experimental group will receive gabapentin three times daily. Dose of gabapentin will be 100 mg for patients \<50 kg and 200 mg for patients \> 50 kg. Gabapentin will be continued for 5 days postoperatively. If patients are discharged prior to postoperative day 5, they will be provided with gabapentin for the remainder of their doses upon discharge.

PlaceboOTHER

Placebo will be given 30 minutes prior to being transported to the operating room. Placebo will be identically appearing to gabapentin. Starting postoperative day 1, control group will receive placebo medication at the same interval with the appropriate number of capsules or liquid for their weight to match the experimental group. It will be continued for 5 days postoperatively. If patients are discharged prior to postoperative day 5, they will be provided with placebo for the remainder of their doses upon discharge.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 10 YearsMax age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Be aged 10-18 years at the time of surgery * Have a diagnosis of idiopathic scoliosis and/or kyphosis * Be undergoing elective posterior spinal fusion * Have only mild systemic disease Exclusion Criteria: * A diagnosis of neuromuscular scoliosis and/or kyphosis * A diagnosis of chronic pain * Used opioids in the past 6 months * Developmental delay * Liver or kidney disease * Obstructive sleep apnea * Body mass index \>40 * Be pregnant or breastfeeding

Locations (1)

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in NRS for pain intensity score comparing gabapentin and placebo groups

Patient's included in the study will rate their current pain using the numerical rating scale (NRS). With the NRS for pain intensity, the child rates their pain on a zero to 10 Likert scale, with zero being no pain and 10 being the most pain imaginable. A NRS \> 4/10 at the time of the survey will be considered positive for CPSP.

Time frame: Baseline (prior to surgery), at 3 months postoperatively, and at 6 months postoperatively

Change in FDI score comparing gabapentin and placebo groups

The functional disability inventory (FDI) is a 15 question self-report inventory that assesses the impact of daily pain on activities at home, school, recreational and social domains. Items are rated on a five-point Likert Scale, ranging from 0 to 4, representing no trouble with the activity up to impossible to do the activity. The scores are tabulated, classifying the patient's function as no to minimal disability (0-12), moderate disability (12-29) or severe disability (30-60).

Time frame: Baseline (prior to surgery), at 3 months postoperatively, and at 6 months postoperatively

Secondary Outcomes

Total narcotic requirement in the postoperative period in patients receiving gabapentin versus placebo

Opioid consumption will be tabulated from the postoperative care unit (PACU), across nursing shifts and cumulative amounts per day. IV morphine will be converted to oral morphine equivalents using a 3:1 ratio or IV hydromorphone will be converted to IV morphine using a 5:1 ratio. Oxycodone will be converted to oral morphine equivalents using a 1:1.5 ratio. All cumulative opioids will be reported as oral morphine equivalents.

Time frame: Postoperative period up to 1 month

Time to ambulation in patients receiving gabapentin versus placebo

Time to ambulation will be recorded.

Time frame: Postoperative period up to 1 month

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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