TY - JOUR T1 - Gabapentin for the treatment of pain manifestations in children with severe neurological impairment: a single-centre retrospective review JF - BMJ Paediatrics Open JO - BMJ Paediatrics Open DO - 10.1136/bmjpo-2019-000467 VL - 3 IS - 1 SP - e000467 AU - Aedin Collins AU - Rory Mannion AU - Annemarie Broderick AU - Séamus Hussey AU - Mary Devins AU - Billy Bourke Y1 - 2019/07/01 UR - http://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/3/1/e000467.abstract N2 - Pain, irritability and feeding intolerance are common symptoms affecting quality of life in children with severe neurological impairment (SNI). We performed a retrospective study to explore the use of gabapentinoid medications for symptom control in children with SNI. Patients attending the palliative care or gastroenterology department being treated with gabapentin for irritability, vomiting or pain of unknown origin were included. Information was gathered retrospectively from medical documentation. Irritability was reduced in 30 of the 42 patients included. Gabapentin was discontinued in 15 children, 12 of whom then received pregabalin. Three children had a good response to pregabalin, six a minimal improvement and three no improvement. These results support the use of gabapentinoids in this patient cohort. ER -