Medium-dose riboflavin as a prophylactic agent in children with migraine: a preliminary placebo-controlled, randomised, double-blind, cross-over trial.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Riboflavin seems to have a promising effect on migraine in adults. The present study examines whether riboflavin has a prophylactic effect on migraine in children.

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate whether riboflavin in a dosage of 50 mg/day has a prophylactic effect on migraine attacks in young children.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS:

This randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over trial included 42 children (aged 6-13 years) with migraine of whom 14 children were also suffering from tension-type headache. Following a 4-week baseline period, all children received placebo for 16 weeks then riboflavin for 16 weeks (or vice versa) with a washout period of 4 weeks in between. The primary outcome measure was reduction in mean frequency of migraine attacks and tension-type headache in the last 4 weeks at the end of the riboflavin and placebo phase, compared with the preceding baseline or wash-out period. Secondary outcome measures were mean severity and mean duration of migraine and tension-type headaches in the last 4 weeks at the end of the riboflavin and placebo phase, compared with the preceding baseline or wash-out period.

RESULTS:

No significant difference in the reduction of mean frequency of migraine attacks in the last month of treatment was found between placebo and riboflavin (P = 0.44). However, a significant difference in reduction of mean frequency of headaches with a tension-type phenotype was found in favour of the riboflavin treatment (P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS:

In this group of children with migraine, there is no evidence that 50 mg riboflavin has a prophylactic effect on migraine attacks. We found some evidence that 50 mg riboflavin may have a prophylactic effect on interval headaches that may correspond to mild migraine attacks or tension-type headache attacks in children with migraine.

• Authors: Jacques Bruijn, Hugo Duivenvoorden, Jan Passchier, Heiko Locher, Natascha Dijkstra, Willem-Frans Arts
• Journal: Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache (Cephalalgia) Vol. 30 Issue 12 Pg. 1426-34 (Dec 2010) ISSN: 1468-2982 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 20974610 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Vitamin B Complex
• Riboflavin

Topics

• Adolescent
• Child
• Cross-Over Studies
• Double-Blind Method
• Humans
• Migraine Disorders (prevention & control)
• Riboflavin (therapeutic use)
• Tension-Type Headache (epidemiology)
• Vitamin B Complex (therapeutic use)