Intravenous versus rectal prochlorperazine in the treatment of benign vascular or tension headache: a randomized, prospective, double-blind trial.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effectiveness of i.v. and PR prochlorperazine for treatment of acute benign vascular or tension headache.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized, double-blind trial.


METHODS
University emergency department with 50,000 annual census.


METHODS
Forty-five adult patients enrolled on 46 visits.


METHODS
Patients received 10 mg prochlorperazine i.v. and placebo suppository or 25 mg prochlorperazine PR and placebo injection. Pain assessment was made using a 10-cm visual-analog scale; scores were analyzed using Wilcoxon/Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum tests (alpha of .01).


RESULTS
Mean 60-minute pain scores for i.v. and PR groups were 0.6 and 3.5, respectively (P = .0002). Two patients (8.7%) in the i.v. group and six patients (26.1%) in the PR group required rescue analgesia (P = .12).


CONCLUSIONS
i.v. prochlorperazine appears to provide more effective relief than PR prochlorperazine for benign vascular or tension headaches.
Thomas
S H
SH
Department of Emergency Medicine, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina.
Stone
C K
CK
Ray
V G
VG
Whitley
T W
TW
D000208:Acute Disease; D000285:Administration, Rectal; D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011346:Prochlorperazine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018781:Tension-Type Headache / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014653:Vascular Headaches / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
D011346:Prochlorperazine