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ABSTRACT:
Background: The present study was conducted to compare Carbamazepine (CBZ) and gabapentin (GBP) in management of TN. Materials & Methods: The present study was conducted on 46 patients of primary trigeminal neuralgia of both genders. Patients were randomly divided into 2 groups of 23 each. Group I patients were prescribed carbamazepine in the dose range of 400mg to 1200 mg and group II patients were prescribed gabapentin in the dose range of 600mg to 1800mg. Patients were recalled on 3rd day, 15th day, 1 month and 3 months period. Results: On 3rd day, VAS in group I was 7.2 and in group II was 7.4, on 15th day was 4.5 in group I and 4.2 in group II, on 1 month was 3.8 in group I and 3.1 in group II and on 3rd month was 2.6 in group I and 1.4 in group II. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). The therapeutic effectiveness after 15 days in group I was good in 56.2% in group I and 58.4% in group II. It was average in 43.8% in group I and 41.6% in group II. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Conclusion: Authors found that gabapentin resulted in better management of cases of trigeminal neuralgia as compared to carbamazepine and can be effectively prescribed in such patients.
Key words: Carbamazepine, Gabapentin, Trigeminal neuralgia
INTRODUCTION
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a common type of neuropathic pain, which is characteristically sudden, usually unilateral, severe, brief, stabbing, and the recurrent electric shock-like episodes of pain lasts from a few seconds to < 2 minutes in the area of one or more branches of the trigeminal nerve.1 The disease usually has trigger points and is often induced in the process of daily routines such as washing face, brushing teeth, talking, and even shaving.2 The annual incidence is 5.9/ 100,000 women and 3.4/100,000 men. The incidence tends to be slightly higher among women at all ages, and even increases with age.3 Carbamazepine (CBZ) is recommended as the first-line medical treatment of TN. Gabapentin (GBP), a newer anti-epileptic drug, is widely used in clinical treatment of TN. Studies have demonstrated that GBP has broad application prospects in chronic pain syndromes, especially in the neuropathic pain.4 Furthermore, GBP has been the...