Abstact
Gabapentin was tested as complementary analgesic in 25 cancer patients in whom pain was not sufficiently controlled by transdermal fentanyl. Neuropathic pain syndrome in these patients consisted of burning pain and allodynia. Gabapentin was administered at a dose of 648±206,4mg, while dosage of transdermal fentanyl was fixed (261±98,1μg/h). Prior to the introduction of gabapentin pain scores varied between 5 and 10 (10 point VAS) for total pain and between 3 and 10 for burning pain, with a respective median value of 8 for both pains. Also allodynia was present at a rate of 64% in patients. Seven days after the administration of Gabapentin the resulting pain scores varied between 1 and 6 for total pain and between 0 and 5 for burning pain with median values 4 and 2 respectively. At the same time allodynia was limited in 12% of patients. Complementary administration of Gabapentin to transdermal fentanyl pain therapy appears to reduce total cancer pain and to provide better control of the associated neuropathic pain syndromes
