This double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, parallel-group study assessed whether subcutaneous
sumatriptan administered during the
migraine aura would prolong or modify the
aura and prevent or delay development of the
headache. One hundred seventy-one patients (88 receiving 6 mg
sumatriptan, 83 receiving placebo) treated a single attack of
migraine with typical aura at home, by self-injection. The median duration of
aura following the first injection was 25 minutes for the
sumatriptan group and 30 minutes for the placebo group (NS). The
aura symptom profile was similar for the two treatment groups. The proportion of patients who developed a moderate or severe
headache within 6 hours after dose administration was similar in the two groups--68% among those receiving
sumatriptan and 75% among those receiving placebo (NS).
Sumatriptan given during the
aura did not prolong or alter the nature of the
migraine aura and did not prevent or significantly delay
headache development.