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Analgesic Efficacy of Gabapentin and Pregabalin in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgeries: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

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Abstract

This meta-analysis investigated the effect of oral gabapentinoids (i.e., pregabalin and gabapentin) on analgesic consumption (i.e., primary outcome) and pain relief (i.e., secondary outcome) in patients following bariatric surgery. Analysis of five eligible trials published between 2010 and 2019 including 363 participants receiving gabapentinoids revealed a significantly lower morphine consumption [mean difference (MD) =  − 15.1 mg, p = 0.004; evidence certainty: low] and risk of nausea/vomiting [risk ratio (RR) = 0.49, p = 0.002; evidence certainty: high] at postoperative 6–24 h. There was also a lower pain score at postoperative 0–4 h (MD =  − 1.41, p < 0.00001; evidence certainty: low) and 6–12 h (MD =  − 0.9, p = 0.007; evidence certainty: low) compared with controls, while pain severity at postoperative 24 h was comparable between two groups. In summary, preoperative oral gabapentinoids optimized postoperative pain outcomes and reduced risk of nausea/vomiting following bariatric surgery.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Ping-Wen Huang and Cheuk-Kwan Sun contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan City, 71004, Taiwan

    Kuo-Chuan Hung

  2. Department of Hospital and Health Care Administration, College of Recreation and Health Management, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan City , 71710, Taiwan

    Kuo-Chuan Hung

  3. Department of Anesthesiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung city, 83301, Taiwan

    Shao-Chun Wu

  4. Department of Anesthesiology, Shin Huey Shin Hospital, Kaohsiung city, 813, Taiwan

    Min-Hsien Chiang

  5. Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung city 83301, Taiwan

    Chih-Wei Hsu

  6. Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan city, 71004, Taiwan

    Jui-Yi Chen

  7. Department of Health and Nutrition, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan City, 71710, Taiwan

    Jui-Yi Chen

  8. Department of Emergency Medicine, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua city 500009, Taiwan

    Ping-Wen Huang

  9. Department of Emergency Medicine, E-Da Hospital, No.1, Yida Road, Jiaosu Village, Yanchao District, Kaohsiung city, 824005, Taiwan

    Cheuk-Kwan Sun

  10. College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung City, 84001, Taiwan

    Cheuk-Kwan Sun

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  1. Kuo-Chuan Hung
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Contributions

Conceptualization and literature search: KCH and SCW; methodology: MHC; trial selection: CWH and JYC.; data analysis: PWH; data extraction: SCW and CWH; writing—original draft preparation: KCH, JYC, and CKS; writing—review and editing: KCH and CKS. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cheuk-Kwan Sun.

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Key Points

• Oral gabapentinoid effects on post-bariatric surgery (BS) analgesic use and pain.

• Potential adverse sedative effect in immediate postoperative period remains unclear.

• There were lower opioid consumption and nausea/vomiting risk at post-BS 6–24 h.

• Oral gabapentinoids were also associated with lower pain scores at postoperative 0–4 h.

• No difference in pain severity was noted at postoperative 24 h compared with controls.

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Hung, KC., Wu, SC., Chiang, MH. et al. Analgesic Efficacy of Gabapentin and Pregabalin in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgeries: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. OBES SURG 32, 2734–2743 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-022-06109-6

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