A Study Of The Efficacy Of Gabapentin In Neuropathic Pain Patients As Measured By Quantitative Sensory Testing

• Neuralgia
• Neuralgia, Postherpetic

• Drug: 2-weeks placebo then gabapentin
  
  Placebo for 2 weeks followed by gabapentin 300 mg oral capsule once daily titrated over 1 week to gabapentin 600 mg three times daily for 1 week
• Drug: 1-week placebo then gabapentin
  
  Placebo for 1 week followed by gabapentin 300 mg oral capsule once daily titrated over 1 week to gabapentin 600 mg three times daily for 2 weeks

• Placebo Comparator: Sequence 1
  
  Intervention: Drug: 2-weeks placebo then gabapentin
• Experimental: Sequence 2
  
  Intervention: Drug: 1-week placebo then gabapentin

Inclusion Criteria:

• Neuropathic pain of peripheral origin as a consequence of either post-herpetic neuralgia or post-traumatic neuropathic pain
• Well-defined skin area of mechanical allodynia to punctate (von Frey filament) stimuli
• Pain intensity score of ? 4/10 for von Frey filament-evoked allodynia at the skin area

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who have undergone neurolytic or neurosurgical therapy, including skin excisions, for neuropathic pain
• Patients who have trigeminal neuralgia, central pain, chronic radiculopathy, or peripheral neuropathy of non-mechanical or unknown origin
• Patients with any other co-existing pain which cannot be differentiated from the neuropathic pain of peripheral origin