Study May Shift Thinking on Gabapentin for Back Pain in Comp

Drugs that are among the most-prescribed in workers’ comp appear to be ineffective for treating chronic low back pain, according to a new study that may swing the pendulum on how treatment guidelines address the use of gabapentin and pregabalin. The study, which was published this month in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, or CMAJ, is a meta-analysis of past research on the effectiveness of gabapentin and pregabalin for chronic low back pain, with or without pain radiating to the leg. The drugs are anti-seizure medicines that are also commonly used to treat neuropathic pain, wh...