Pregabalin in addition to usual care for sciatica (PRECISE)

Sciatica is a type of neuropathic pain that is characterised by pain radiating into the leg. It is often accompanied by low back pain and neurological deficits in the lower limb. Currently, there are little known effective treatments.

The aim of the PRECISE trial is to determine whether the drug pregabalin is more effective and cost-effective in reducing leg pain intensity, compared to placebo in people with sciatica.

PRECISE is a prospectively registered, double blind, randomised placebo controlled trial. Participants are recruited from primary care clinicians and specialists in the Sydney metropolitan area and  take the study medicine for eight weeks. Participants are to receive usual care such as physiotherapy during this time. They have follow up appointments with the study doctor and are followed up by the study for up to one year.

The results of this research will definitively assess the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of pregabalin for the treatment of sciatica and aid in the future development of clinical management guidelines for patients with sciatica.