{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T19:28:41Z","timestamp":1788982121266,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1760140800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Geriatrics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Older adults are at elevated risk of falls, especially when prescribed AEDs (AEDs) for neuropathic pain. The sedative and neuropsychiatric effects of these agents contribute significantly to fall-related morbidity. However, existing studies often lack stratification by age and dose. Objective: To systematically evaluate the incidence and drug-specific risk of falls and fall-related adverse events (AEs) in older adults prescribed AEDs for neuropathic pain. Methods: A systematic search was performed across PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library databases up to May 2025. Studies were selected using PICOS criteria and included RCTs and controlled cohort studies reporting on AED-related AEs among participants aged \u226560 years. The methodological quality was assessed using RoB 2, ROBINS-I, and GRADE frameworks. Meta-analyses were performed using logit event rates and fixed-effects modeling via Comprehensive Meta-Analysis v3.7. Publication bias was evaluated using Begg\u2019s and Egger\u2019s tests. Results: Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled logit event rate for falls was \u22121.693 (95% CI: \u22121.993 to \u22121.393), corresponding to a 15.5% incidence. Gabapentin showed the lowest fall risk (~10%), while pregabalin and carbamazepine were associated with higher rates of dizziness (up to 21.6%), sedation (~15.5%), and ataxia (~17.8%). Heterogeneity was low (I2 = 0\u201322.3%) across outcomes. Conclusions: AEDs carry a clinically significant fall risk in older adults, with dose-dependent patterns. Gabapentin may present a safer profile, while pregabalin and carbamazepine warrant cautious use and monitoring. These findings inform individualized prescribing and fall prevention strategies in geriatric neuropathic pain management.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/geriatrics10050130","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,13]],"date-time":"2025-10-13T08:10:31Z","timestamp":1760343031000},"page":"130","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Fall-Related Adverse Events of Anti-Epileptic Drugs Used for Neuropathic Pain in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-1591-4911","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Arun","family":"Vamadevan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"NIHR Clinical Research Facility, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool L7 8XP, UK"},{"name":"School of Health and Society, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5658-7830","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vijesh","family":"Vijayan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, Stockport SK2 7JE, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fellisha","family":"Marwein","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"NIHR Clinical Research Facility, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool L7 8XP, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nishad","family":"Yoosuf","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medical Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500046, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"654","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pain.2013.11.013","article-title":"Neuropathic pain in the general population: A systematic review of epidemiological studies","volume":"155","author":"Austin","year":"2014","journal-title":"Pain"},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"484","article-title":"Treatment of Neuropathic Pain","volume":"64","author":"Schug","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. 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