The effects of gabapentin on methadone based addiction treatment: A randomized controlled trial

Gabapentin is a potentially useful drug in alleviating the hyperexcitatory painful states in the control of opiate dependence in acute detoxification and the stabilization phase. This study aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of gabapentin adds-on methadone therapy on lowering the methadone. This randomized double blind controlled clinical trial conducted at an outpatient rehabilitation clinic. Sixty patients using opium, opium extract and heroin were randomly assigned to two groups (34 in treatment group and 26 in control group); one group was prescribed combination of methadone (40-120 mg) and gabapentin (300 mg) as group A, and the other group was given methadone (40-120) and placebo as group B. The subjects were followed up for three weeks after intervention. There were 60 outpatients including 51 males with the mean age of 40.9±9.2. Daily dose and cumulative dose of methadone during the treatment was found to be significantly higher in group B (73.8±19.5 mg daily vs. 58.9±11 mg