title: Open-labeled long-term study of the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of subcutaneous sumatriptan in acute migraine treatment.
abstract: In a multicenter study, a long-term analysis was made of the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of subcutaneous (s.c.) sumatriptan in the acute treatment of migraine attacks over a period of up to 18 months. A total of 2263 patients took part in the study, all able to perform their own acute treatment of migraine attacks at home by s.c. administration of 6 mg of sumatriptan. A headache diary was used by each patient to record the various migraine parameters before the injection and 1 h and 2 h after it. A total of 43,691 attacks were treated and analyzed during the study period from October 1991 to June 1993. Therapy was successful in 89.5% of attacks. Freedom from headache was achieved in 71.0% of cases. In 22.7% of the attacks a second injection was administered on recurrence of the headache; 82.9% of the patients achieved an intraindividual therapy success rate ranging from over 80% to 100%. In the course of treatment there was no change in either the therapy success rate or in the frequency of attacks. Some 4.9% of the patients withdrew from the study because of insufficient efficacy or adverse events. A total of 44.5% of patients reported adverse events, and these were rated serious in the case of 1.7%. S.c. administration of sumatriptan for acute migraine therapy is an effective treatment method, with reliable action, that can be used with good tolerability provided the contraindications are taken into account.
authors.affiliation: Neurologisch-verhaltensmedizinische Schmerzklinik Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Göbel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heinze
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stolze
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heinze-Kuhn
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lindner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012449:Safety; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018170:Sumatriptan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000700:Analgesics; D000932:Antiemetics; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D018170:Sumatriptan