{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]],"date-time":"2026-04-02T10:51:56Z","timestamp":1775127116170,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":21,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,29]],"date-time":"2026-03-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774742400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmacy"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Gabapentinoids are first-line treatments for neuropathic pain (NP); however, real-world evidence regarding their safety and effectiveness in complex clinical populations remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety profile of gabapentinoid therapy in patients managed within a specialized pain relief institution. Methods: A retrospective cohort study (n = 109) was conducted (January 2024 to December 2024). Effectiveness was assessed via DN4 and VAS over one year. Time to improvement was analyzed using Kaplan\u2013Meier curves. Results: The cohort (mean age 66.2 \u00b1 15.3 years) presented 100% comorbidity and polypharmacy (66.1% opioids; 67.9% antidepressants). Although all patients showed improvement, only 35.8% achieved \u201cmaximal improvement.\u201d Pregabalin demonstrated faster VAS reduction than gabapentin (p = 0.029), though long-term success was comparable (p = 0.30). Significantly, 100% of patients reported at least one adverse drug event (ADE), primarily somnolence (66.1%), though no serious ADEs occurred. Lower baseline pain scores were significant predictors of therapeutic success. Conclusions: Gabapentinoids are effective for long-term NP management; however, their use is consistently associated with non-serious ADEs. In specialized settings characterized by extensive CNS-active polypharmacy, proactive pharmacovigilance and multidisciplinary oversight are essential to balance analgesic effectiveness with medication safety.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pharmacy14020055","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,30]],"date-time":"2026-03-30T13:40:52Z","timestamp":1774878052000},"page":"55","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Effectiveness of Gabapentinoids in Neuropathic Pain: A Single-Center Retrospective Study at a Specialized Institution in Mexico"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Carlos Eduardo","family":"Estrada-De La Rosa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto Jalisciense de Alivio al Dolor y Cuidados Paliativos, Secretaria de Salud Jalisco, Zapopan 45150, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Felipe Alexis","family":"Avalos-Salgado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Farmacobiolog\u00eda, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Exactas e Ingenier\u00edas (CUCEI), Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44430, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2910-5557","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nancy Evelyn","family":"Navarro-Ruiz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Vida Saludable y Promoci\u00f3n de la Salud, Centro Universitario de Tlajomulco, Universidad de Guadalajara, Tlajomulco de Zu\u00f1iga 45641, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7344-1283","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Erika Fabiola","family":"L\u00f3pez-Villalobos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratorio de An\u00e1lisis Cl\u00ednicos e Investigaci\u00f3n Traslacional, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Exactas e Ingenier\u00edas (CUCEI), Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44430, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7111-1793","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Roberto de Jes\u00fas","family":"Sandoval-Mu\u00f1iz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Programa de Capacitaci\u00f3n Regi\u00f3n Sanitaria XI Centro-Tonal\u00e1, Secretar\u00eda de Salud Jalisco, Guadalajara 44730, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Monserratt","family":"Abud-Gonz\u00e1lez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Farmacobiolog\u00eda, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Exactas e Ingenier\u00edas (CUCEI), Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44430, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mar\u00eda Luisa","family":"Mu\u00f1oz-Almaguer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Farmacobiolog\u00eda, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Exactas e Ingenier\u00edas (CUCEI), Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44430, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3072-0987","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Raymundo","family":"Escutia-Guti\u00e9rrez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Farmacobiolog\u00eda, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Exactas e Ingenier\u00edas (CUCEI), Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44430, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Merskey, H., and Bogduk, N. (1994). Classification of Chronic Pain, IASP Press. [2nd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fitridge, R., and Thompson, M. (2011). Treatment of Neuropathic Pain. Mechanisms of Vascular Disease: A Reference Book for Vascular Specialists, University of Adelaide Press.","DOI":"10.1017\/UPO9781922064004"},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Bodman, M.A., Dreyer, M.A., and Varacallo, M.A. (2025). Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy. StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"532","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mayocp.2015.01.018","article-title":"Neuropathic Pain: Principles of Diagnosis and Treatment","volume":"90","author":"Gilron","year":"2015","journal-title":"Mayo Clin. Proc."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"104","DOI":"10.1177\/2049463720912496","article-title":"Gabapentinoids: Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Considerations for Clinical Practice","volume":"14","author":"Chincholkar","year":"2020","journal-title":"Br. J. Pain"},{"key":"ref_6","first-page":"CD007076","article-title":"Pregabalin for Neuropathic Pain in Adults","volume":"2019","author":"Derry","year":"2019","journal-title":"Cochrane Database Syst. Rev."},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"CD007938","article-title":"Gabapentin for Chronic Neuropathic Pain in Adults","volume":"2020","author":"Wiffen","year":"2017","journal-title":"Cochrane Database Syst. Rev."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1111","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMoa1614292","article-title":"Trial of Pregabalin for Acute and Chronic Sciatica","volume":"376","author":"Mathieson","year":"2017","journal-title":"N. Engl. J. Med."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1113","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1468-1331.2010.02999.x","article-title":"EFNS Guidelines on the Pharmacological Treatment of Neuropathic Pain: 2010 Revision","volume":"17","author":"Attal","year":"2010","journal-title":"Eur. J. Neurol."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"29","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pain.2004.12.010","article-title":"Comparison of Pain Syndromes Associated with Nervous or Somatic Lesions and Development of a New Neuropathic Pain Diagnostic Questionnaire (DN4)","volume":"114","author":"Bouhassira","year":"2005","journal-title":"Pain"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"162","DOI":"10.1016\/S1474-4422(14)70251-0","article-title":"Pharmacotherapy for Neuropathic Pain in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis","volume":"14","author":"Finnerup","year":"2015","journal-title":"Lancet Neurol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Perell\u00f3, M., Rio-Aige, K., Rius, P., P\u00e9rez-Cano, F.J., and Rabanal, M. (2024). Characteristics of Non-Therapeutic Pregabalin Users Detected by a Community Pharmacies Network in a Region of Southern Europe. J. Clin. Med., 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm13195942"},{"key":"ref_13","first-page":"113","article-title":"Investigation of the Use of Gabapentinoid Drugs in Pain Management","volume":"77","author":"Toluk","year":"2024","journal-title":"Indian J. Med. Sci."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"335","DOI":"10.30574\/wjbphs.2025.21.1.0036","article-title":"An Observational Comparative Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Pregabalin and Gabapentin in Neuropathic Pain- at a Teritiary Care Centre","volume":"21","author":"Vaishnav","year":"2025","journal-title":"World J. Biol. Pharm. Health Sci."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"192","DOI":"10.1080\/15360288.2020.1784354","article-title":"Comparing Effectiveness of Gabapentin and Pregabalin in Treatment of Neuropathic Pain: A Retrospective Cohort of Palliative Care Outpatients","volume":"34","author":"Dragic","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Pain Palliat. Care Pharmacother."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"2019 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria\u00ae Update Expert Panel, Fick, D.M., Semla, T.P., Steinman, M., Beizer, J., Brandt, N., Dombrowski, R., DuBeau, C.E., Pezzullo, L., and Epplin, J.J. (2019). American Geriatrics Society 2019 Updated AGS Beers Criteria\u00ae for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults. J. Am. Geriatr. Soc., 67, 674\u2013694.","DOI":"10.1111\/jgs.15767"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2282","DOI":"10.1097\/j.pain.0000000000003239","article-title":"Risk of Adverse Outcomes during Gabapentinoid Therapy and Factors Associated with Increased Risk in UK Primary Care Using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink: A Cohort Study","volume":"165","author":"Muller","year":"2024","journal-title":"Pain"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1053\/j.ajkd.2021.11.007","article-title":"Higher-Dose Gabapentinoids and the Risk of Adverse Events in Older Adults With CKD: A Population-Based Cohort Study","volume":"80","author":"Muanda","year":"2022","journal-title":"Am. J. Kidney Dis."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"732","DOI":"10.7326\/M18-1136","article-title":"Pregabalin and the Risk for Opioid-Related Death: A Nested Case\u2013Control Study","volume":"169","author":"Gomes","year":"2018","journal-title":"Ann. Intern. Med."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"403","DOI":"10.1007\/s40265-017-0700-x","article-title":"Abuse and Misuse of Pregabalin and Gabapentin","volume":"77","author":"Evoy","year":"2017","journal-title":"Drugs"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"World Medical Association (2013). World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki: Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects. JAMA, 310, 2191\u20132194.","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2013.281053"}],"container-title":["Pharmacy"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2226-4787\/14\/2\/55\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]],"date-time":"2026-04-02T09:52:43Z","timestamp":1775123563000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2226-4787\/14\/2\/55"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,29]]},"references-count":21,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4]]}},"alternative-id":["pharmacy14020055"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/pharmacy14020055","relation":{},"ISSN":["2226-4787"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2226-4787","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,29]]}}}