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Efficacy and Safety of Gabapentin vs. Carbamazepine in the Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Meta‐Analysis
Author(s) -
Yuan Min,
Zhou Huangyan,
Xiao Zhilong,
Wang Wei,
Li Xueli,
Chen Shenjian,
Yin Xiaoping,
Xu Lijun
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
pain practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1533-2500
pISSN - 1530-7085
DOI - 10.1111/papr.12406
Subject(s) - gabapentin , carbamazepine , medicine , trigeminal neuralgia , randomized controlled trial , adverse effect , meta analysis , neuralgia , anesthesia , epilepsy , neuropathic pain , psychiatry , alternative medicine , pathology
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of gabapentin in comparison with carbamazepine in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia, a meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials was performed. Two reviewers independently selected studies, assessed study quality, and extracted data. Sixteen randomized controlled trials that included 1,331 patients were assessed. The meta‐analysis showed that the total effective rate of gabapentin therapy group was similar with carbamazepine therapy group ( OR = 1.600, 95% CI 1.185, 2.161, P = 0.002). While the effective rate of gabapentin therapy for 4 weeks was higher than that of carbamazepine therapy ( OR = 1.495, 95% CI 1.061, 2.107, P = 0.022, heterogeneity: x 2 = 7.12, P = 0.625, I 2 = 0.0%), the life satisfaction improvement is also better in the gabapentin therapy group after a 4‐week treatment ( SMD = 0.966, 95% CI 0.583, 1.348, P < 0.001). Furthermore, our meta‐analysis suggested that the adverse reaction rate of gabapentin therapy group was significantly lower than that of carbamazepine therapy group ( OR = 0.312, 95% CI 0.240, 0.407, P < 0.001). In conclusion, present trials comparing gabapentin with carbamazepine are all poor in terms of methodological quality. Based on the available evidence, it is not possible to draw conclusions regarding the efficacy and side effects of gabapentin being superior to carbamazepine.