• Martin Grosshans, Tagrid Lemenager, Christian Vollmert, Nina Kaemmerer, Rupert Schreiner, Jochen Mutschler, Xenija Wagner, Falk Kiefer, and Derik Hermann.
• Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, J5/68159, Mannheim, Germany, martin.grosshans@zi-mannheim.de.
• Eur. J. Clin. Pharmacol. 2013 Dec 1; 69 (12): 2021-5.

PurposePregabalin is a novel GABA-analogue approved for the treatment of partial onset seizures, neuropathic pain, and general anxiety disorder. Pregabalin has been classified as a Schedule V drug with a low risk of inflicting abuse or addiction. However, some publications have indicated that pregabalin may have a potential for abuse among patients with past or current opiate addiction. Thus, we hypothesized that pregabalin might be abused by patients who were undergoing an opiate replacement therapy and never had an indication for taking pregabalin on medical grounds.MethodsUrine specimens from 124 patients with opiate dependency syndrome and from 111 patients with other addiction disorders (alcohol, benzodiazepines, cannabis, amphetamines) were screened for pregabalin by means of a mass spectrometer analysis.ResultsWe found 12.1 % of all urine specimens from patients with opiate addiction to be positive for pregabalin. None of the patients concerned had a medical indication for using pregabalin. In the control group, 2.7 % of the patients were tested positively for pregabalin, due to their taking it regularly for chronic pain or general anxiety.ConclusionsOur data suggest that pregabalin is liable to be abused among individuals with opiate dependency syndrome Thus, vigilance and caution are called for when patients with a past or current opiate dependency are exposed to treatment with pregabalin.

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