Is Gabapentin Effective for Managing Chronic Pelvic Pain?

A randomized clinical trial in the U.K. found gabapentin was ineffective and caused more side effects than placebo.

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) can have unpleasant behavioral, sexual, and emotional sequelae. Although gabapentin is recommended for treating women with CPP (NEJM JW Womens Health Mar 2020 and Obstet Gynecol 2020; 135:98), data from well-controlled trials are sparse. In a double-blind trial at 37 centers in the U.K., investigators randomized women with no obvious gynecologic cause of pain noted at laparoscopy to gabapentin (titrated to a dose as high as 2700 mg daily) or visually matching placebo for 16 weeks. To be eligible, women with CPP had to rate their pain as 4 or higher using a numerical rating scale (NRS; range, 0–10).

Among 306 participants (mean age, 30.3; 97.5% white), worst and average NRS pain scores were similar in the gabapentin …

Reviewing Author

Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Grant/Research SupportMerck, Mithra, Medicines360

Editorial BoardsContraception; Menopause; Contraceptive Technology Update; OBG Management; Medscape OB/GYN & Women’s Health

Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Grant/Research SupportMerck, Mithra, Medicines360

Editorial BoardsContraception; Menopause; Contraceptive Technology Update; OBG Management; Medscape OB/GYN & Women’s Health

Is Gabapentin Effective for Managing Chronic Pelvic Pain?

Topics

Reviewing Author