• Christina Jensen-Dahm, Michael C Rowbotham, Haatem Reda, and Karin Lottrup Petersen.
• Department of Neurology University of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
• Trials. 2011 Jan 1;12:55.

BackgroundThe effect of pregabalin on acute herpes zoster pain has not been previously evaluated.MethodsIn a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-session crossover study the effect of a single oral dose of pregabalin (150 mg) on pain and allodynia was evaluated in 8 subjects with herpes zoster.ResultsOver 6 hours of observation, pain decreased by a mean of 33% with pregabalin and 14% with placebo (p < 0.10). Effects on allodynia and SF-MPQ were not significant.ConclusionsCompared to an earlier study of gabapentin 900 mg for acute zoster pain and allodynia that followed a nearly identical protocol, pregabalin had a similar effect on pain and was well tolerated, with no difference from placebo on sleepiness. Common side effects of light-headedness, unsteady gait, and slowed thinking were almost identical to that observed in the earlier study of gabapentin. Subject recruitment proved difficult in part due to the widespread off-label use of gabapentin and pregabalin for acute zoster pain in our region of the USA.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00352651.

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