Pilot study of amitriptyline in the prophylactic treatment of medication-overuse headache: a 1-year follow-up.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

This study aims to evaluate the long-term efficacy of low-dose amitriptyline combined with abrupt withdrawal in outpatients of medication-overuse headache (MOH) in an open-label design.

METHODS:

We evaluated the effectiveness of early introduction of low-dose amitriptyline combined with abrupt withdrawal in outpatients with MOH over a 1-year observational period. The primary outcome measures were the reduction in number of headache days and days with use of acute headache medication after 3 months and after 12 months. A number of secondary outcome measures, as well as safety and tolerability, were assessed. The responders were defined as patients with ≥50% reduction in headache frequency from baseline and being without medication overuse.

RESULTS:

Thirty-three patients completed the study. Significant reductions in headache frequency and medication consumption were observed at both months 3 and 12, compared to baseline (P < 0.05 for all). Neither the primary nor the secondary endpoints differed significantly between months 3 and 12. At the 12-month follow-up, 58% of the patients were considered as responders (N = 19); 73% remained cured of MOH (N = 24); 64% had reverted to episodic headaches (N = 21); 27% had relapsed into MOH (N = 9).

CONCLUSION:

Given these results, early introduction of low-dose amitriptyline combined with abrupt withdrawal could be considered as a choice for patients with MOH.

• Authors: Wen Fan, Yuhua Lv, Guomin Ying, Wangwen Li, Jiying Zhou
• Journal: Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.) (Pain Med) Vol. 15 Issue 10 Pg. 1803-10 (Oct 2014) ISSN: 1526-4637 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 25159678 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Observational Study)
• Copyright: Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chemical References

• Analgesics, Non-Narcotic
• Amitriptyline

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Amitriptyline (therapeutic use)
• Analgesics, Non-Narcotic (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Headache Disorders, Secondary (drug therapy)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Pilot Projects
• Treatment Outcome