European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Aims & Objectives: Millions of people have low back pain, which causes more disability
than any other health condition. The present study was planned for comparing the
functional outcomes between pregabalin versus gabapentin in Cases of Low Back Ache
with radiculopathy.
Materials & methods: A total of 100 subjects with presence of low back ache with
radiculopathy were enrolled. Clinical and MRI examination of all the patients was done.
All the 100 patients were divided into two study groups with 50 patients in each group as
follows: Gabapentin group and Pregabalin group. Capsule pregabalin 75 mg one time a
dayorally and tablet gabapentin 300 mg one timea day was given in the respective groups.
Both drugs were given at night time. Pain intensity was assessed at the start of study i.e. at
baseline (0 week), at 1 month and three months using VAS. Complications were recorded
on each visit. All the results were recorded and analysed by SPSS software.
Results: Mean VAS at baseline, one month and three months among patients of group
Pregabalin was 8.91, 6.96 and 3.16 respectively. Mean VAS at baseline, one month and
three months among patients of group Gabapentin was 8.12, 6.43 and 3.58 respectively.
While making intra-group comparison, significant results were obtained. However; while
comparing the mean VAS between the two study groups, non-significant results were
obtained at different time intervals. Sedation as a side effect was significantly more
common in Pregabalin group.
Conclusion: Gabapentin was better in comparison to pregabalin in having fewer side
effects.