Safety and Efficacy of Gabapentin for Pain in Pediatric Patients: A Systematic Review

Abstract

CONTEXT Gabapentin has shown benefits for a variety of pain etiologies in adult patients, with off-label use as an adjunctive agent in pediatric patients occurring more frequently. OBJECTIVES To summarize the studies which evaluate safety and efficacy of gabapentin for the treatment of pediatric pain. DATA SOURCES A systematic review of the literature was conducted via PubMed query with controlled vocabulary and key terms using indexed medical subject heading. STUDY SELECTION Prospective studies published between January 1, 2000, and July 1, 2023, were selected utilizing a predetermined exclusion criteria independently by 2 authors, with a third independent author available for discrepancies. DATA EXTRACTION Data extraction was performed by 2 authors independently to include study design, patient population and characteristics, drug dosing, and outcomes. Studies were then assessed for their independent risk of bias utilizing the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations approach to risk of bias. RESULTS A total of 11 studies describing 195 pediatric patients who received gabapentin were included. Of the 11 studies, 9 were randomized controlled trials, 1 was a prospective multicenter study, and 1 was an open-label pilot study. CONCLUSIONS Heterogeneity of pain type and gabapentin dosing regimens within the included studies made conclusions difficult to quantify. Efficacy likely depends significantly on etiology of pain; however, per these studies, gabapentin is likely safe to use for a variety of pediatric patient populations as a multimodal agent.