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Acupuncture versus placebo versus sumatriptan for early treatment of migraine attacks: a randomized controlled trial
Article first published online: 24 JAN 2003
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2796.2003.01081.x
1365-2796/asset/cover.gif?v=1&s=cacbc88a827c8cece634c3d912e9e672c5a697b5 "Journal of Internal Medicine")
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How to Cite
Melchart, D., Thormaehlen, J., Hager, S., Liao, J., Linde, K. and Weidenhammer, W. (2003), Acupuncture versus placebo versus sumatriptan for early treatment of migraine attacks: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Internal Medicine, 253: 181–188. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2796.2003.01081.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 24 JAN 2003
- Article first published online: 24 JAN 2003
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- acupuncture;
- migraine;
- randomized controlled trial;
- sumatriptan
Abstract. Melchart D, Thormaehlen J, Hager S, Liao J, Linde K, Weidenhammer W (Technical University, Munich, Germany; University Zurich, Switzerland; and Hospital for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Koetzting, Germany). Acupuncture versus placebo versus sumatriptan for early treatment of migraine attacks: a randomized controlled trial. J Intern Med 2003; 253: 181–188.
Objectives. To investigate whether acupuncture is superior to placebo and equivalent to sumatriptan for the early treatment of an acute migraine attack.
Design. Randomized, partly double-blind (sumatriptan versus placebo) trial.
Setting. Two hospitals in Germany (one specialized in traditional Chinese medicine and one in the treatment of headache).
Subjects. A total of 179 migraineurs experiencing the first symptoms of a developing migraine attack.
Interventions. Traditional Chinese acupuncture, sumatriptan (6 mg subcutaneously) or placebo injection.
Main outcome measure. Number of patients in whom a full migraine attack (defined as severe migraine headache) within 48 h was prevented. In patients who developed a migraine attack in spite of early treatment, acupuncture and sumatriptan were applied a second time, whilst patients initially randomized to placebo received sumatriptan.
Results. A full migraine attack was prevented in 21 of 60 (35%) patients receiving acupuncture, 21 of 58 (36%) patients receiving sumatriptan and 11 of 61 (18%) patients receiving placebo (relative risk of having a full attack 0.79 (95% CI, 0.64–0.99) for acupuncture versus placebo, and 0.78 (95% CI, 0.62–0.98) for sumatriptan versus placebo). Response to the second intervention in patients who developed a full attack was better with sumatriptan (17/31 patients who received sumatriptan twice and 37/46 patients who had had placebo first) than with acupuncture (4/31). The number of patients reporting side-effects was 14 in the acupuncture group, 23 in the sumatriptan group and 10 in the placebo group.
Conclusions. In this trial acupuncture and sumatriptan were more effective than a placebo injection in the early treatment of an acute migraine attack. When an attack could not be prevented, sumatriptan was more effective than acupuncture at relieving headache.