PainRelief.com Interview with:
Dr Lucy ​H R Whitaker (BSc (Hons) MB ChB MSc MD MRCOG)
Senior Clinical Research Fellow and Honorary Consultant Gynaecologist
Centre for Reproductive Health,
Institute for Regeneration and Repair 
Edinburgh BioQuarter 
Edinburgh 

PainRelief.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: Our study focused on chronic pelvic pain in women, a common condition affecting up to one in four women, for which there are few evidence-based treatment options. We previously conducted a multicentre randomised controlled trial (GaPP2) to assess the effectiveness of gabapentin, a commonly prescribed painkiller, in relieving chronic pelvic pain.

The trial found that gabapentin did not relieve pain and was associated with more side effects compared to a placebo. However, to better understand why some women respond to gabapentin more than others, we studied the DNA of the participants from the GaPP2 trial to identify genetic changes that might affect response to gabapentin.