Pregabalin in treatment-refractory fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic musculoskeletal pain disorder. The pain can be intractable and may not respond to commonly-used treatments, such as tricyclic antidepressants and opioids.

To evaluate pregabalin response in the subset of patients with fibromyalgia whose pain had been judged refractory to other treatments.

Patients had previously participated in a controlled trial of pregabalin and had moderate to severe pain despite treatment with gabapentin, a tricyclic antidepressant, and a third medication (e.g., other anticonvulsants, opioid, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tramadol). Flexible-dose pregabalin 150-600 mg/day was added for 3-month treatment cycles, each followed by 3- to 28-day pregabalin "drug holiday" that lasted until a relapse occurred. Pain intensity was measured using the visual analogue scale of the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire completed at baseline, the end of each 3-month treatment period and at the relapse visit. Analysis was at 15 months (after 5 cycles).

In total, 25 patients were included and 19 completed the 15-month analysis period. At baseline, 88% were receiving ≥1 pain medication. Pregabalin 150-600 mg/day was associated with statistically significant, clinically meaningful pain reduction during each treatment cycle. Pain quickly returned to baseline levels during the "drug holidays" in a median time of 2-4 days. Somnolence (n=5) and dizziness (n=4) were the most common adverse events.

These results suggest that pregabalin may be beneficial in patients with fibromyalgia who have had an unsatisfactory response to treatment with other medications.