Effect of Pregabalin on Morphine Consumption, Sleep, Mood and Ability to Change Position After Colorectal Cancer Surgery

Pregabalin is a co-analgesic to improve the pain control after colorectal cancer surgeries. There is less knowledge about the effect of Pregabalin on postoperative sleep and the ability to change the position of patients after surgery. This study aimed to assess the impact of Pregabalin on postoperative morphine consumption, pain, sleep, mood, and ability to change position after colorectal cancer surgery.

This double-blind, randomized, controlled, single-center clinical trial was performed in   Tehran, Iran, from June 2017 to June 2018. Seventy patients were included for colorectal cancer surgery randomly divided into two groups (A, B). Group A received two doses Pregabalin (150 mg) pre-operative and post-operative, and group B as a placebo was administered at the same scheme. The two groups had similar analgesia and anesthesia regimens. The pain was scored by a numerical rating scale (NRS); disturbance in sleep,and mood. The daily activity was numbered based on a scoring system such as BPI questionnaires; and, nausea- vomiting, morphine consumption, and fatigue headache were evaluated 48 hours after surgery.

Morphine consumption was lower in the Pregabalin group 24 h after surgery (P=0.01). The two groups were similar regarding sleep interference scores and side effects (P>0.05). But, mood and actions interference scores in the Pregabalin group showed a significant improvement in 48 h postoperative (P<0.05) (Table 3).

The results showed that Pregabalin could reduce postoperative morphine consumption and improve mood and actions interference scores after colorectal cancer surgery. However, there was no difference between Pregabalin and placebo in postoperative pain management and sleep interference scores after colorectal cancer surgery.