BACKGROUND: Preoperative gabapentin has been shown to improve postoperative pain and limit reliance on opioid analgesia. On the basis of an alternative mechanism, our group investigated the ability of preoperative gabapentin to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis of trials that reported outcomes on the effect of preoperative gabapentin on PONV end points in patients undergoing general anesthesia. In our primary analysis, we calculated the pooled antiemetic effects of preoperative gabapentin in studies with PONV as the primary end point. In our secondary analysis, we calculated the pooled effects in trials involving preoperative gabapentin that reported on the side effects, nausea and vomiting. RESULTS: Among the trials designed with PONV as a primary end point (8 trials; n = 838), preoperative gabapentin was associated with a significant reduction in PONV (risk ratio [RR] = 0.60; 99% confidence interval [CI], 0.50-0.72; P < 0.0001), nausea (RR = 0.34; 99% CI, 0.20-0.56; P < 0.0001), and vomiting (RR = 0.34; 99% CI, 0.19-0.61; P = 0.0002) at 24 hours. Among all included trials (44 trials; n = 3489) that reported on the side effects, nausea and vomiting, similar reductions were noted in PONV with preoperative gabapentin administration. Subgroup analysis of trials excluding repeat dosing, thiopental induction, and nitrous oxide maintenance and including high-risk surgery resulted in similar PONV efficacy. Preoperative gabapentin is also associated with significantly increased rates of postoperative sedation (RR = 1.22; 95% CI, 1.02-1.47; P = 0.03) compared with control. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative gabapentin is associated with a significant reduction in PONV among studies designed to investigate this end point. Preoperative gabapentin should be considered not only as part of a multimodal approach to postoperative analgesia, but also for prevention of PONV.
BACKGROUND: Preoperative gabapentin has been shown to improve postoperative pain and limit reliance on opioid analgesia. On the basis of an alternative mechanism, our group investigated the ability of preoperative gabapentin to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis of trials that reported outcomes on the effect of preoperative gabapentin on PONV end points in patients undergoing general anesthesia. In our primary analysis, we calculated the pooled antiemetic effects of preoperative gabapentin in studies with PONV as the primary end point. In our secondary analysis, we calculated the pooled effects in trials involving preoperative gabapentin that reported on the side effects, nausea and vomiting. RESULTS: Among the trials designed with PONV as a primary end point (8 trials; n = 838), preoperative gabapentin was associated with a significant reduction in PONV (risk ratio [RR] = 0.60; 99% confidence interval [CI], 0.50-0.72; P < 0.0001), nausea (RR = 0.34; 99% CI, 0.20-0.56; P < 0.0001), and vomiting (RR = 0.34; 99% CI, 0.19-0.61; P = 0.0002) at 24 hours. Among all included trials (44 trials; n = 3489) that reported on the side effects, nausea and vomiting, similar reductions were noted in PONV with preoperative gabapentin administration. Subgroup analysis of trials excluding repeat dosing, thiopental induction, and nitrous oxide maintenance and including high-risk surgery resulted in similar PONV efficacy. Preoperative gabapentin is also associated with significantly increased rates of postoperative sedation (RR = 1.22; 95% CI, 1.02-1.47; P = 0.03) compared with control. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative gabapentin is associated with a significant reduction in PONV among studies designed to investigate this end point. Preoperative gabapentin should be considered not only as part of a multimodal approach to postoperative analgesia, but also for prevention of PONV.
Authors: Christopher L Wu; Adam B King; Timothy M Geiger; Michael C Grant; Michael P W Grocott; Ruchir Gupta; Jennifer M Hah; Timothy E Miller; Andrew D Shaw; Tong J Gan; Julie K M Thacker; Michael G Mythen; Matthew D McEvoy Journal: Anesth Analg Date: 2019-08 Impact factor: 5.108
Authors: Sephalie Y Patel; Rosemarie E Garcia Getting; Brandon Alford; Karim Hussein; Braydon J Schaible; David Boulware; Jae K Lee; Scott M Gilbert; Julio M Powsang; Wade J Sexton; Philippe E Spiess; Michael A Poch Journal: World J Surg Date: 2018-09 Impact factor: 3.352
Authors: Stephanie Weibel; Gerta Rücker; Leopold Hj Eberhart; Nathan L Pace; Hannah M Hartl; Olivia L Jordan; Debora Mayer; Manuel Riemer; Maximilian S Schaefer; Diana Raj; Insa Backhaus; Antonia Helf; Tobias Schlesinger; Peter Kienbaum; Peter Kranke Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2020-10-19