Aspirin 650 mg and
metoclopramide 10 mg in an effervescent preparation (
Migravess) were compared with effervescent
aspirin 650 mg (
Alka-Seltzer) and placebo for
common migraine attacks with a double-blind cross-over design. One hundred and eighteen patients with
common migraine were entered. Eighty-five patients completed all three forms of treatment, eleven completed two, and six completed one. Medicine was taken when patients were sure they had a
migraine attack and not just interval
headache. After each form of treatment, they mailed a report form to the investigators. Additional medication was allowed after 2 h and was taken for 79/95 placebo treated attacks, 63/92
Migravess treated attacks, and 51/86
aspirin treated attacks (p less than 0.01).
Aspirin was significantly better than placebo for
pain but not quite significant for
nausea.
Migravess was significantly better than placebo for
pain and for
nausea. There was no significant difference between
aspirin and
Migravess with regard to
analgesic effectiveness (p = 0.33) or to antinausea effect (p = 0.18).