Eletriptan for the short-term prophylaxis of cluster headache.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

A beneficial prophylactic effect from eletriptan 40 mg given to a single patient with cluster headache was observed.

OBJECTIVE:

To further evaluate the efficacy of eletriptan in the short-term prophylaxis of cluster headache.

METHODS:

We treated 18 patients; mean age, 40.5 years (standard deviation [SD], 9.9). The number of cluster headache attacks was recorded during a baseline period of 6 days, and during 6 days of treatment with eletriptan 40 mg twice daily. The primary outcome measure was the reduction in the number of attacks during the treatment period.

RESULTS:

In the 16 patients who completed the study (2 patients were lost to follow-up), the mean total number of attacks decreased from 10.9 (SD, 5.6) during baseline to 6.3 (SD, 3.7) during treatment with eletriptan (P=.01) The reduction in the number of attacks exceeded 50% in 6 patients.

CONCLUSION:

This small open-label study suggests that eletriptan 40 mg twice daily may be useful for the short-term prophylaxis of cluster headache.

• Authors: Karin Zebenholzer, Christian Wöber, Marion Vigl, Peter Wessely
• Journal: Headache (Headache) Vol. 44 Issue 4 Pg. 361-4 (Apr 2004) ISSN: 0017-8748 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15109360 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Indoles
• Pyrrolidines
• Serotonin Receptor Agonists
• Tryptamines
• eletriptan

Topics

• Adult
• Cluster Headache (prevention & control)
• Female
• Humans
• Indoles (therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Pilot Projects
• Pyrrolidines (therapeutic use)
• Serotonin Receptor Agonists (therapeutic use)
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome
• Tryptamines