Gabapentin for uremic pruritus in hemodialysis patients: a qualitative systematic review

AbstractPurpose of the reviewUremic pruritus (UP) is a common discomfort of dialysis-dependent end-stage renal disease. Some studies suggest a neuropathic cause of UP. Gabapentin, an anticonvulsant, has shown promising results as an emerging drug to treat this condition.ObjectiveAn updated qualitative systematic review was conducted to evaluate its efficacy and safety in hemodialysis patients.Source of informationOvid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Clinicaltrials.gov, and Google Scholar through June 2015 were used as sources of information.PatientsPatients are adult hemodialysis patients receiving gabapentin for UP.MethodsAll randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs, observational studies, open-label studies, and retrospective studies were included. Case series and case reports were excluded. All descriptions and data were extracted independently by two authors.ResultsSeven studies evaluating gabapentin with a total of 179 patients were included. Most patients were refractory to antihistamines and topical emollients. Statistically significant favorable outcomes on pruritus scores were found in six studies. Five studies evaluated antipruritic efficacy based on a 10-point visual analog scale (VAS), and improvements in the range of an absolute decrease of 5.7 to 9.4 points from baseline were achieved on average by 3 –8 weeks of treatment. Side effects are common with six studies reporting at least 26 incidences of side effects such as ...
Source: Canadian Journal of Kidney Health and Disease - Category: Urology & Nephrology Source Type: research