HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Correspondence: Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Correspondence are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Touchon, J. Articles by Bes, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Touchon, J. Articles by Bes, A.

A comparison of subcutaneous sumatriptan and dihydroergotamine nasal spray in the acute treatment of migraine

From the Department of Neurology (Pr. Touchon), Hopital Arnaud de Villeneuve, Montpellier, France; GlaxoWellcome Research and Development Limited (Dr. Pilgrim, Ms. Ashford, Dr. Bertin), Greenford, UK; and the Department of Neurology (Pr. Bes), CHU Rangueil, Toulouse, France.
Received May 12, 1995. Accepted in final form February 14, 1996.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. L. Bertin, Glaxo Wellcome Research and Development Limited, Greenford Road, Greenford, Middlesex UB6 0HE, UK.

We compared the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous (SC) sumatriptan (6 mg) with that of dihydroergotamine (DHE) nasal spray (1 mg plus optional 1 mg) in the acute treatment of migraine.Two hundred sixty-six adult migraineurs (International Headache Society criteria) completed a multicenter, double-blind, double-dummy, cross-over study. Patients took SC sumatriptan for one attack and DHE nasal spray for the other in random order. Data from both treatment periods show that at all time points from 15 minutes, SC sumatriptan was significantly better than DHE nasal spray at providing both headache relief (moderate/severe headache improving to mild/none) and resolution of headache. Similarly, SC sumatriptan was superior to DHE nasal spray for the other efficacy end points assessed in the study. Patients reported that both treatments were well tolerated. Adverse events were reported by 43% of patients taking SC sumatriptan and 22% of patients taking DHE nasal spray. These were usually mild and transient. We conclude that subcutaneous sumatriptan has a faster onset of action than DHE nasal spray and provides greater relief of acute migraine symptoms.

NEUROLOGY 1996;47: 361-365

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A.-M. Kelly Migraine: pharmacotherapy in the emergency department Emerg. Med. J., July 1, 2000; 17(4): 241 - 245. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. J GOADSBY A triptan too far? J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, February 1, 1998; 64(2): 143 - 147. [Full Text] [PDF]