title: Menstrual migraine: a double-blind trial of percutaneous estradiol.
abstract: The present study investigated whether administration of percutaneous estradiol for the 7 days encompassing menstruation (the paramenstruum) would be effective in alleviating menstrual migraine. The study was a double-blind cross-over placebo comparison of percutaneous estradiol in gel form. Twenty-two women who suffered from regular recurring menstrual migraine were studied during 2 assessment menstrual cycles, 4 treatment cycles (2 of estradiol gel, 2 of placebo gel), and 1 follow-up (no treatment) cycle. Women completed daily records of the occurrence and severity of migraine and medication used. Eighteen women completed the study. There was a significant reduction in the frequency of migraine in the paramenstruum and in the amount of medication taken during use of percutaneous estradiol. Women expressed a significant preference for continuation of therapy with percutaneous estradiol.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Women's Health in Society, University of Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dennerstein
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morse
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burrows
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oats
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000328:Adult; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D004958:Estradiol