Significant decreases seen in monthly attacks, headache days, and anti-migraine drug intake
THURSDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment with a supraorbital transcutaneous stimulator seems safe and effective for preventing migraine headaches, according to a study published online Feb. 6 in Neurology.
Jean Schoenen, M.D., Ph.D., from Liège University in Belgium, and colleagues randomized 67 patients with at least two migraine attacks/month to either verum or sham stimulation in a 1:1 ratio. Following a one-month run-in, the stimulator was applied daily for 20 minutes during three months.
The researchers found that, between run-in and the third month of treatment, there was a significant decrease in the mean number of migraine days in the verum group (6.94 versus 4.88; P = 0.023), but not in the sham group (6.54 versus 6.22; P = 0.608). In the verum group the 50 percent responder rate was significantly greater than in the sham group (38.1 versus 12.1 percent; P = 0.023). In the verum group, but not the sham group, monthly migraine attacks, monthly headache days, and monthly acute anti-migraine drug intake were all significantly reduced. Neither group experienced adverse events.
"This study provides Class III evidence that treatment with a supraorbital transcutaneous stimulator is effective and safe as a preventive therapy for migraine," the authors write.
Several authors disclosed financial ties to the medical device industry.
Abstract
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