The objective was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of oral
sumatriptan (100 mg) in patients who self-reported with menstrually related
migraine. A prospective, multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-group crossover study was carried out in 20 UK primary and secondary care surgeries. Of 115 patients with a self-reported history of menstrually related
migraine that entered the study, 93 patients completed it. Patients treated all
migraine attacks for 2 months with
sumatriptan (100 mg) and for 2 months with placebo. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients reporting
headache relief at 4 hours for the first treated attack. Only 11% of patients fulfilled the protocol definition of menstrually related
migraine. Patients reported a variable pattern of
migraine attacks occurring inside and outside the menstrual window. For the first attack, significantly more patients receiving
sumatriptan than placebo reported
headache relief for attacks occurring inside (67% vs. 33%, p=0.007) and outside (79% vs. 31%, p<0.001) the menstrual period.
Sumatriptan was generally well tolerated. Oral
sumatriptan (100 mg) is an effective and well tolerated acute treatment for patients who report menstrually related
migraine.