{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,23]],"date-time":"2026-02-23T10:11:37Z","timestamp":1771841497565,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,22]],"date-time":"2026-02-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1771718400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Chronic persistent postoperative pain after cardiac surgery, first described as Post CABG Pain Syndrome (PCPS), has been a well-recognized problem since 1989. This study investigated the effect of a single preoperatively administrated pregabalin dose on chronic persistent postoperative pain, in terms of pain intensity, rescue analgesia, and sleep disturbances, after elective cardiac surgery. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a prospective double-blind single center study that took place in a tertiary\/referral center (NCT01701921). Consecutive adult patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery with median sternotomy and extracorporeal circulation under general anesthesia were included. Patients were randomly assigned into three groups {placebo (group 1), oral pregabalin 75 mg (group 2), oral pregabalin 150 mg (group 3)}. Placebo or either dose of pregabalin were administered 1 h preoperatively. Postoperatively at 12 and 24 months, the presence of persistent chronic pain (Numeric Rating Scale, NRS), the need of daily intake of analgesics, and any potential sleep disturbances were assessed. Results: In total, 93 out of 108 patients completed this secondary analysis (86,1%). Patients from all three groups reported persistent postoperative pain at 12 and 24 months, respectively. The mean NRS scores at 12 months were 1.71 (0.588) group 1, 1.23 (0.560) group 2, and 1.19 (0.402) group 3. At 24 months, the mean NRS scores were 1.19 (0.543) Group 1, 0.84 (0.454) Group 2, and 0.84 (0.374) Group 3. No statistically important difference was detected between the two different pregabalin groups. Regarding the use of analgesics, Pearson Chi-Square showed p-values p = 0.027 in 12 months and p = 0.01 in 24 months and lower scores were detected in the high pregabalin dose group. As far as the sleep disturbances are concerned, there was no significant difference between groups. The number of patients who reported persistent postoperative pain at 12 and 24 months was significantly lower in the pregabalin groups (75 mg and 150 mg) than in the placebo group. Regarding the NRS score, Kruskal\u2013Wallis showed a value of p = 0.001 and p = 0.005 in 12 and 24 months respectively. Regarding the use of analgesics, Pearson Chi-Square showed p-values p = 0.027 in 12 months and p = 0.01 in 24 months. Referring to sleep disturbances, there was no significant difference between groups. Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, it seems that oral administration of a single preoperative dose of pregabalin may exhibit a significant preventive effect on chronic persistent postoperative pain after elective cardiac surgery.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm15041648","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,23]],"date-time":"2026-02-23T08:58:21Z","timestamp":1771837101000},"page":"1648","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["A Single Preoperative Dose of Pregabalin and Chronic Postsurgical Pain Following Elective Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery: A Secondary Analysis from a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Aikaterini","family":"Bouzia","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Larisa, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-9817-8647","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Konstantinos","family":"Tassoudis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Larisa, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3066-0475","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vasilis","family":"Tassoudis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Larisa, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2458-9342","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria P.","family":"Ntalouka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Larisa, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anastasia","family":"Michou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Larisa, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1392-0135","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Metaxia","family":"Bareka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Larisa, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Eleni","family":"Arnaoutoglou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Larisa, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"351","DOI":"10.1097\/EJA.0000000000001974","article-title":"Chronic postsurgical pain: A European survey","volume":"41","author":"Martinez","year":"2024","journal-title":"Eur. J. Anaesthesiol."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"725","DOI":"10.1097\/EJA.0000000000000319","article-title":"Chronic postsurgical pain in Europe: An observational study","volume":"32","author":"Fletcher","year":"2015","journal-title":"Eur. J. Anaesthesiol."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.1097\/j.pain.0000000000001413","article-title":"The IASP classification of chronic pain for ICD-11: Chronic postsurgical or posttraumatic pain","volume":"160","author":"Schug","year":"2019","journal-title":"Pain"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"490","DOI":"10.1053\/j.jvca.2023.09.042","article-title":"Prevalence and Risk Factors for Chronic Postsurgical Pain After Thoracic Surgery: A Prospective Cohort Study","volume":"38","author":"Khan","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e022995","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2018-022995","article-title":"Examination of psychological risk factors for chronic pain following cardiac surgery: Protocol for a prospective observational study","volume":"9","author":"McGillion","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"590","DOI":"10.1097\/ALN.0000000000002238","article-title":"Persistent Postsurgical Pain: Pathophysiology and Preventative Pharmacologic Considerations","volume":"129","author":"Capdevila","year":"2018","journal-title":"Anesthesiology"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"579","DOI":"10.1007\/s12630-024-02706-4","article-title":"Association of chronic poststernotomy pain and health-related quality of life: A prospective cohort study","volume":"71","author":"Sun","year":"2024","journal-title":"Can. J. Anaesth."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"425","DOI":"10.1002\/ejp.918","article-title":"Chronic postsurgical pain in patients 5 years after cardiac surgery: A prospective cohort study","volume":"21","author":"Gjeilo","year":"2017","journal-title":"Eur. J. Pain"},{"key":"ref_9","first-page":"848","article-title":"Effects of Preoperative Pregabalin On Postoperative Pain Control in Total Knee Arthroplasty Surgery","volume":"34","author":"Atilla","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Investig. Surg."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"428","DOI":"10.1097\/BRS.0b013e3181d26708","article-title":"Effective dose of perioperative oral pregabalin as an adjunct to multimodal analgesic regimen in lumbar spinal fusion surgery","volume":"36","author":"Kim","year":"2011","journal-title":"Spine"},{"key":"ref_11","first-page":"2753962","article-title":"Pregabalin Effect on Acute and Chronic Pain after Cardiac Surgery","volume":"2017","author":"Bouzia","year":"2017","journal-title":"Anesthesiol. Res. Pract."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"265","DOI":"10.1097\/ALN.0000000000003428","article-title":"Perioperative use of gabapentinoids for the management of postoperative acute pain: Systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"133","author":"Verret","year":"2020","journal-title":"Anesthesiology"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1186\/s13019-023-02449-1","article-title":"The efficacy of pregabalin for pain control after thoracic surgery: A meta-analysis","volume":"19","author":"Zhang","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Cardiothorac. Surg."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"422","DOI":"10.1186\/s13063-023-07438-2","article-title":"Pregabalin as an effective treatment for acute postoperative pain following spinal surgery without major side effects: Protocol for a prospective, randomized controlled, double-blinded trial","volume":"24","author":"Park","year":"2023","journal-title":"Trials"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"93012","DOI":"10.52965\/001c.93012","article-title":"Antineuropathic Pain Management After Orthopedic Surgery: A Systematic Review","volume":"16","author":"Harder","year":"2024","journal-title":"Orthop. Rev."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8835891","DOI":"10.1155\/2021\/8835891","article-title":"Oral Pregabalin in Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials","volume":"2021","author":"Wang","year":"2021","journal-title":"BioMed Res. Int."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2937","DOI":"10.1053\/j.jvca.2021.01.036","article-title":"Association Between Sternotomy Versus Thoracotomy and the Prevalence and Severity of Chronic Postsurgical Pain After Mitral Valve Repair: An Observational Cohort Study","volume":"35","author":"Minami","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"599","DOI":"10.1002\/ejp.2203","article-title":"The long-term incidence of chronic post-surgical pain after coronary artery bypass surgery\u2014A prospective observational study","volume":"28","author":"Charlton","year":"2024","journal-title":"Eur. J. Pain"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"335","DOI":"10.1007\/s40256-014-0083-2","article-title":"Risk factors and early pharmacological interventions to prevent chronic postsurgical pain following cardiac surgery","volume":"14","author":"Gjeilo","year":"2014","journal-title":"Am. J. Cardiovasc. Drugs"},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"82","article-title":"Postoperative chronic pain incidence and etiology in coronary artery bypass graft surgery: A prospective study","volume":"17","author":"Ak","year":"2021","journal-title":"Signa Vitae"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1317","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bjps.2017.05.054","article-title":"Preoperative pregabalin or gabapentin for acute and chronic postoperative pain among patients undergoing breast cancer surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials","volume":"70","author":"Rai","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Plast. Reconstr. Aesthet. Surg."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpainsymman.2018.10.496","article-title":"The Possible Preventive Role of Pregabalin in Postmastectomy Pain Syndrome","volume":"57","author":"Reyad","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Pain Symptom Manag."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fuller, A.M., Bharde, S., and Sikandar, S. (2023). The mechanisms and management of persistent postsurgical pain. Front. Pain Res., 4.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpain.2023.1154597"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2633","DOI":"10.2147\/JPR.S170810","article-title":"Effects of a single dose of preoperative pregabalin and gabapentin for acute postoperative pain: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials","volume":"11","author":"Hu","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Pain Res."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"247","DOI":"10.1097\/AJP.0000000000000673","article-title":"Analgesic Potentials of Preoperative Oral Pregabalin, Intravenous Magnesium Sulfate, and their Combination in Acute Postthoracotomy Pain","volume":"35","author":"Abdelgalil","year":"2019","journal-title":"Clin. J. Pain"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"694","DOI":"10.21037\/jtd.2019.02.77","article-title":"Efficacy of pregabalin for prevention of postoperative neuropathic pain after thoracic surgery","volume":"11","author":"Homma","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Thorac. Dis."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1449","DOI":"10.1016\/j.arth.2023.01.039","article-title":"Prevention of Pregabalin-Related Side Effects Using Slow Dose Escalation Before Surgery: A Trial in Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty Within the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Pathway","volume":"38","author":"Gao","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Arthroplast."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e076419","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2023-076419","article-title":"Effect of percutaneous cerebral oximetry-guided anaesthetic management on postoperative delirium in older adults undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting: Study protocol for a single-centre prospective randomised controlled trial in a tertiary academic hospital in China","volume":"13","author":"Tian","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"199","DOI":"10.1213\/ANE.0b013e3181c4273a","article-title":"Perioperative oral pregabalin reduces chronic pain after total knee arthroplasty: A prospective, randomized, controlled trial","volume":"110","author":"Buvanendran","year":"2010","journal-title":"Anesth. Analg."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"38","DOI":"10.1016\/j.arth.2014.04.004","article-title":"The Effect of a Single Dose of Preemptive Pregabalin Administered With COX-2 Inhibitor: A Trial in Total Knee Arthroplasty","volume":"30","author":"Lee","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Arthroplast."}],"container-title":["Journal of Clinical Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-0383\/15\/4\/1648\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,23]],"date-time":"2026-02-23T09:19:58Z","timestamp":1771838398000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-0383\/15\/4\/1648"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,22]]},"references-count":30,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2]]}},"alternative-id":["jcm15041648"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/jcm15041648","relation":{},"ISSN":["2077-0383"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2077-0383","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,22]]}}}