Aim: 

It was aimed to determine possible changes in pruritus, life quality, depression and sleep quality in pruritic haemodialysis (HD) patients with gabapentin therapy.

Methods: 

Fourteen adult HD patients who had histories of pruritus more than 8 weeks were assigned to receive gabapentin (300 mg) therapy for 8 weeks. The daily pruritus scores using a visual analogue scale were collected for each period of the study during 1 week preceding the trial, the active treatment phase, the placebo phase and the intervening 1-week washout period. Sleep quality was determined with a modified post-sleep inventory, quality of life with a short form of Medical Outcomes Study (SF-36), depression using the Beck Depression Inventory.

Results: 

The mean pruritus score decreased significantly from 7.6 ± 1.2 to 1.3 ± 1.4, total of post-sleep inventory significantly from 5.8 ± 3.3 to 1.8 ± 1.8 with gabapentin therapy. Physical and mental component scales of SF-36 increased, cognitive and somatic depression index decreased with gabapentin.

Conclusion: 

We concluded that beneficial effects of gabapentin therapy on pruritus, quality of life, depression and sleep quality are important clinically in pruritus haemodialysis patients. Gabapentin therapy should be taken into account as a serious choice of therapy in pruritic haemodialysis patients.