Open AccessEfficacy of gabapentin for the prevention of paclitaxel induced peripheral neuropathy: A randomized placebo controlled clinical trial
Author(s) -
Aghili Mahdi,
Zare Mahkameh,
Mousavi Nima,
Ghalehtaki Reza,
Sotoudeh Sarvazad,
Kalaghchi Bita,
Akrami Shahram,
Esmati Ebrahim
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the breast journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.533
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1524-4741
pISSN - 1075-122X
DOI - 10.1111/tbj.13196
Subject(s) - medicine , gabapentin , peripheral neuropathy , placebo , paclitaxel , randomized controlled trial , chemotherapy , chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy , anesthesia , clinical trial , surgery , endocrinology , alternative medicine , pathology , diabetes mellitus
Abstract Neuropathy is a dose limiting side effect of taxanes which may impact the quality of life and treatment outcomes. This randomized placebo‐controlled double‐blinded clinical trial was carried out to assess the efficacy of gabapentin in preventing chemotherapy induced neuropathy. Women with breast cancer were randomized into two groups of paclitaxel chemotherapy with gabapentin 300 mg/three times a day orally or placebo for 2 weeks started at day 1 of each paclitaxel cycle. Two groups were compared based on the relative frequency of neuropathy and change in nerve conducting velocity ( NCV ). Twenty women were assigned to each study arm. The majority of the neuropathy in gabapentin group was grade 1 in all of the four cycles with no event of ≥grade 3 neuropathy in this group. Compared to the placebo, the rate of 2nd and 3rd grade neuropathy was significantly lower in the gabapentin group ( P = 0.000). The change in NCV after four cycles of paclitaxel was significantly lower in the gabapentin group compared to the placebo group (17.7% vs 61.0% decline in NCV for sural and 21.9% vs 62.5% declines in NCV for peroneal nerve). Gabapentin given with paclitaxel is effective in the prevention of intermediate and high grade neuropathies both objectively and subjectively.