The role of pregabalin in relieving ureteral stent-related symptoms: a randomized controlled clinical trial

• Published in: International urology and nephrology 2017-06, Vol.49 (6), p.961-966
• Main Authors: Ragab, Maged, Soliman, Mohamed G., Tawfik, Ahmed, Abdel Raheem, Ali, El-Tatawy, Hassan, Abo Farha, Mohamed, Magdy, Michael, Elashry, Osama
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Analgesics - therapeutic use; Clinical trials; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Flank Pain - drug therapy; Flank Pain - etiology; Hematuria - drug therapy; Hematuria - etiology; Humans; Implants; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms - drug therapy; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms - etiology; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Nephrology; Pain; Pregabalin - therapeutic use; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological - drug therapy; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological - etiology; Single-Blind Method; Solifenacin Succinate - therapeutic use; Statistical analysis; Stents - adverse effects; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tablets; Ureter; Ureteral Calculi - surgery; Urological Agents - therapeutic use; Urology; Urology - Original Paper
• ISSN: 0301-1623; 1573-2584
• DOI: 10.1007/s11255-017-1561-7

Purpose To investigate the role of pregabalin in relieving USRS in patients with an indwelling double-J (DJ) stents. Patients and methods A total of 500 adult patients with a unilateral single ureteral stone who underwent ureteroscopic stone management and required DJ stent insertion were prospectively included in our study. Patients were blindly assigned into four groups A, B, C and D. Those in group A were managed with combination of solifenacin 5-mg tablets and pregabalin 75-mg capsules bid. Patients in group B were managed with solifenacin 5-mg tablets. Those in group C were managed with pregabalin 75-mg capsules bid. Those in group D were control group. All patients were evaluated on day 15 postoperatively for stent-related symptoms using the Arabic translated and validated ureteral stent symptom questionnaire (USSQ). Results The total USSQ score as well as general health index was significantly lower in group A as compared to other groups. In addition, urinary symptom index was significantly improved in both groups A and B as compared to group C and group D. Pain symptom index was significantly improved in both groups A and C as compared to groups B and D. No statistically significant difference was reported regarding sexual index and work performance index among the whole study groups. Conclusion Pregabalin appears to be a well-tolerated, safe and effective drug in reducing most of USRS, especially relief of pain with subsequent improvement of patient’s quality of life. Its combination with solifenacin should be considered to manage patients with USRS as it shows a significant improvement in total USSQ score and general health index when compared to each drug alone.