The effects of gabapentin on severity of post spinal anesthesia headache

Spinal anesthesia is a common anesthesia method and post dural puncture headache (PDPH) is one of its most common adverse effects. Gabapentin is a popular anticonvulsant drug that has been used as an oral nonopioid analgesic in recent years. In this placebo-controlled double-blind study, 120 patients were randomized in two equal groups (Placebo or gabapentin). The patients in the gabapentin group received gabapentin 300 mg orally one hour before the surgery and then every 12 hours for the first 24 hours after the surgery while the placebo group received placebos in the same way. Severity of headache and postoperative pain assessed by verbal rating score for pain (VRSP), morphine consumption, nausea, vomiting, somnolence, pruritus, dizziness in the first 48 hours, hypertension, hypotension, bradycardia and tachycardia in the first 24 hours after the surgery were recorded. In first 48 hour after surgery the mean of severity of headache in the gabapentin group was 0.20±0.05, and in the placebo group it was 0.93±0.01. The mean of postoperative pain in the gabapentin group was2.25±0.793, and in the placebo group it was3.77±0.813. In the first 24 hours post operative the mean of morphine consumptions were 0.20±0.030 and 0.32±0.0 30 mg in gabapentin and placebo groups. No significant differences were found between the two groups regarding incidence rate of the adverse effects. In this study, administration of gabapentin decreased the incidence and severity of post spinal anesthesia headache, postoperative pain and morphine consumption, without any significant differences in serious adverse effects.