Gabapentin for neuropathic pain in children – case reports

Gabapentin is an antiepileptic drug indicated for the treatment of partial seizures in paediatric patients. Many studies have proved its analgesic action in the treatment of neuropathic pain in adults. We have noticed the analgesic action of gabapentin in neuropathic pain in children. Six patients treated by the Children's Hospital Pain Control Service for intractable neuropathic pain were included in the gabapentin treatment. Four of them were cancer patients, one had reflex sympathetic dystrophy and one patient suffered from neuropathic pain in the neck (C3). The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores of pain were compared before and during the treatment with gabapentin. In one week we noticed a rapid improvement in our patients’ VAS scores (from 9 or 10 to 4 or 3). The adverse effects were minimal. In the follow-up period of 6 months we gradually lowered the dose of gabapentin. Our findings are that gabapentin should be included earlier in the treatment of neuropathic pain in children, because it has minimal side effects and rapidly improves analgesia.