Effects of Lacosamide, Pregabalin, and Tapentadol on Peripheral Nerve Excitability: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Crossover, Multicenter Trial in Healthy Subjects
Authors' conclusion
This study demonstrates that nerve excitability testing can detect pharmacodynamic effects on large myelinated fibers in healthy subjects. Lacosamide statistically significantly reduced peripheral nerve excitability, particularly in large sensory fibers.
Study context
- Population
- Healthy participants aged 18 to 45 yr
- Participants
- 43 participants
- Comparison
- Single doses of lacosamide 200 mg, pregabalin 150 mg, tapentadol 100 mg vs placebo
- Primary endpoint
- Change in strength-duration time constant (SDTC) in large sensory and motor fibers, lacosamide vs placebo, vs baseline
- Follow-up
- First postdose timepoint (60 min)
Methodological detailsdouble-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover, multicentre
- Double-blind
- Placebo-controlled
- Crossover
- Multicentre
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
SDTC, lacosamide vs placebo · first timepoint
Mean reduction
0.04
95% CI 0.01–0.08P = 0.012
large sensory fibers
Mean reduction
0.04
95% CI 0.00–0.07P = 0.039
motor fibers
Further findings
Strength-duration time constant (SDTC), pregabalin and tapentadol vs placebo
- No effects of pregabalin and tapentadol on SDTC
Other predefined nerve excitability endpoints, lacosamide (large sensory fibers) · first timepoint
- Statistically significant changes in subexcitability, S2 accommodation, TEd(peak) and TEd40(Accom)
- No statistically significant changes in refractoriness, relative refractory period or accommodation half-time vs placebo
Original publication
Effects of Lacosamide, Pregabalin, and Tapentadol on Peripheral Nerve Excitability: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Crossover, Multicenter Trial in Healthy Subjects. Anesthesiology. Published 4 August 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →