Gabapentinoids Linked to Increased Risk for Severe Exacerbation in COPD

TUESDAY, Jan. 16, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Gabapentinoid use is associated with an increased risk for severe exacerbation among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study published online Jan. 16 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Alvi A. Rahman, from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and colleagues examined whether gabapentinoid use is associated with severe exacerbation in patients with COPD in a propensity score-matched, new-user cohort study. Within a base cohort of COPD patients, those initiating gabapentinoid therapy with an indication were matched with nonusers. The cohort included 356 gabapentinoid users with epilepsy, 9,411 with neuropathic pain, and 3,737 with other chronic pain who were matched to nonusers in a 1:1 ratio.

The researchers found that gabapentinoid use was associated with an increased risk for severe COPD exacerbations compared with nonuse overall (hazard ratio, 1.39) and across the indications of epilepsy, neuropathic pain, and other chronic pain (hazard ratios, 1.58, 1.35, and 1.49, respectively).

"These findings support the warnings from regulatory agencies and highlight the importance of considering this potential risk when prescribing gabapentin and pregabalin to patients with COPD," the authors write.

The study was partially supported by a grant from Boehringer Ingelheim.

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