Perioperative pregabalin reduced fatigue scores after thoracoscopic pneumonectomy in a RCT of NSCLC patients.

Postoperative fatigue is prevalent, but non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receive poor treatment after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). The main objective of the present trial is to observe the anti-fatigue function of pregabalin in NSCLC patients after surgery. Patients requiring VATS pneumonectomy were randomized into two groups (n=33): the experimental and control groups. The results showed that the experimental group's Identity-Consequence Fatigue Scale (ICFS) scores on days 1, 3, 7, and 30 after the operation decreased more than those of the control group. On days 1, 2, and 3 following surgery, there were significant differences in the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores, the incidence rate of anxiety and depression, and the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) scores between the two groups. Furthermore, we discovered that the ICFS scores were positively related to the VAS scores, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores, and AIS scores. Postoperative fatigue and pain, on the other hand, were more closely related. Finally, this analysis suggested that perioperative pregabalin can reduce postoperative fatigue in NSCLC patients by relieving postoperative pain, anxiety, and depression, improving postoperative sleep quality, and promoting early recovery.