Pregabalin: an alpha2-delta (alpha2-delta) ligand for the management of fibromyalgia

Abstract

Objective: To review the efficacy and safety of pregabalin, an alpha(2)-delta (alpha(2)-delta) ligand, for the management of fibromyalgia (FM).

Methods: Review of 2 pivotal phase 3 trials that evaluated the efficacy and safety of pregabalin for the management of FM.

Results: FM is a chronic condition that is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain and has a greater prevalence in women than in men. In a 14-week, randomized, double-blind trial, pregabalin at all 3 doses (300, 450, and 600 mg daily) resulted in significantly greater improvements in pain and function relative to placebo. Parallel with these improvements, greater proportions of patients in the pregabalin groups reported improvement in global disease status compared with placebo. In a second study designed to evaluate the durability of response, patients were randomized to up to 6 months of treatment with pregabalin or placebo after a 6-week, open-label, dose-optimization treatment phase. Based on predefined criteria for loss of therapeutic response, patients treated with pregabalin were observed to maintain a therapeutic response for a significantly longer duration than patients treated with placebo. Pregabalin was tolerated by most patients in both trials; the incidence of the most commonly reported adverse events (dizziness, somnolence, weight gain, headache, dry mouth) appeared to be dose-related.

Conclusion: Pregabalin has been demonstrated to be efficacious and well-tolerated for the management of FM.