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Equine veterinary journal2025; doi: 10.1111/evj.14564

Pregabalin contributes to increased recovery time from isoflurane anaesthesia for magnetic resonance imaging in horses.

Abstract: Pregabalin reduces excitatory neurotransmitter release and is used for anxiolysis in humans, cats, and horses. The effects of pregabalin on equine recovery following isoflurane anaesthesia are unknown. Objective: To determine if pre-anaesthetic oral pregabalin influences recovery time and/or quality from isoflurane anaesthesia in horses undergoing elective magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the appendicular skeleton. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Anaesthetic and recovery data from 52 healthy horses in which pregabalin (PG) was administered and 76 control horses (CG) undergoing elective MRI from July 2023 to August 2024 were reviewed. Recordings of the recovery period were blindly scored by three reviewers. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to identify factors that impact recovery times. Results: PG received (median [range]) 3 (1-5) doses of 3.94 (3.56-4.28) mg/kg pregabalin. More CG required butorphanol (23/76 versus PG 4/52 p = 0.008) to achieve appropriate sedation for induction and ketamine boluses during the procedure (25/76 versus 8/52, p = 0.03). PG had longer times to stand (60 [48-71] min versus CG 53 [45-64], p = 0.02). There were no significant differences in recovery quality scores between groups. Age, pregabalin, acepromazine, xylazine, time to first movement and time to extubation were significantly associated with an increased time to stand (R = 0.79, adjusted R = 0.77; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The retrospective nature, limited number of cases, and overall excellent quality of recoveries may have limited detection of differences between groups. Administration of butorphanol, xylazine, and acepromazine at the discretion of an unblinded anaesthetist may have influenced the time to stand. Conclusions: Pregabalin contributed to increased recovery times when administered to a group of healthy horses. Recovery quality scores were excellent overall, and there was no difference between groups.
© 2025 The Author(s). Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2025-07-13 PubMed ID: 40653737DOI: 10.1111/evj.14564Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research investigates the effects of pregabalin, a drug used for reducing anxiety and neurotransmitter release in humans and animals, on the time and quality of recovery for horses undergoing anesthesia for magnetic resonance imaging procedures. The results suggest that pregabalin leads to increased recovery times but does not affect the quality of recovery.

Research Methodology

  • The study was a retrospective cohort study, meaning it analyzed past data to determine potential correlations between pregabalin use and recovery times from anesthesia in horses.
  • It involved 128 horses divided into two groups: those which had been administered pregabalin before anaesthesia (52 horses) and a control group (76 horses).
  • The research examined the recovery data and video recordings of the horses after anaesthetic administration and compared pregabalin group against the control group.
  • These recordings were scored blindly by three independent reviewers to minimize bias.
  • Frequent statistical analysis methods were used in the study like multivariable linear regression analysis to identify factors influencing recovery times.

Research Findings

  • Horses given pregabalin took longer to recover from anesthesia as compared to those in the control group.
  • In terms of recovery quality, there were no significant differences observed between the two groups.
  • Other specific factors that were found to potentially affect recovery times include age, other administered drugs (namely acepromazine and xylazine), and duration to first movement and extubation.
  • The study also found that more horses in the control group required additional drugs like butorphanol for sedation during the procedure.

Research Limitations

  • The authors note certain limitations in the study, including its retrospective nature, small sample size, and overall high-quality recoveries.
  • The administration of additional drugs by an unblinded anaesthetist could potentially have influenced the observed recovery times, limiting the study’s conclusions.

Conclusions

  • The research concludes that while pregabalin contributes to longer recovery times from anesthesia in horses, it does not significantly affect the quality of their recovery.
  • Despite the limitations, this study provides valuable insights into the effects of pregabalin on anesthesia recovery in horses, which could help inform future veterinary anesthesia protocols.

Cite This Article

APA
Blanton A, Glass KG, Bayer J, Baetge C, Watanabe R, Sampson SN, Lépiz M, Moreno K, Ida KK. (2025). Pregabalin contributes to increased recovery time from isoflurane anaesthesia for magnetic resonance imaging in horses. Equine Vet J. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14564

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Blanton, Abigail
  • Texas A&M University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, College Station, Texas, USA.
Glass, Kati G
  • Texas A&M University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, College Station, Texas, USA.
Bayer, Jeanette
  • Texas A&M University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, College Station, Texas, USA.
Baetge, Courtney
  • Texas A&M University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, College Station, Texas, USA.
Watanabe, Ryota
  • Texas A&M University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, College Station, Texas, USA.
Sampson, Sarah N
  • Texas A&M University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, College Station, Texas, USA.
Lépiz, Mauricio
  • Texas A&M University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, College Station, Texas, USA.
Moreno, Kara
  • Texas A&M University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, College Station, Texas, USA.
Ida, Keila K
  • Texas A&M University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, College Station, Texas, USA.

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