title: Comparison of preference for rizatriptan 10-mg wafer versus sumatriptan 50-mg tablet in migraine.
abstract: Rizatriptan (MAXALT, a registered trademark of Merck & Co. Inc.) is a selective 5-HT(1B/1D) receptor agonist with rapid oral absorption and early onset of action in the acute treatment of migraine. This randomized, open-label, crossover outpatient study assessed the preference of 481 patients for rizatriptan 10-mg rapidly disintegrating tablets versus sumatriptan (IMIGRAN, a registered trademark of GlaxoWellcome PLC) 50-mg tablets in the treatment of a single migraine attack with each therapy. Almost twice as many patients preferred rizatriptan 10-mg rapidly disintegrating tablet to sumatriptan 50-mg tablet (64.3 vs. 35.7%, p < or = 0.001). Faster relief of headache pain was the most important reason for the preference, cited by 46.9% of patients preferring rizatriptan and 43.4% of patients who preferred sumatriptan. Headache relief at 2 h was 75.9% with rizatriptan and 66.6% with sumatriptan (p < or = 0.001), with rizatriptan being superior to sumatriptan within 30 min of dosing. Fifty-five percent of patients were pain free 2 h after rizatriptan, compared with 42.1% treated with sumatriptan (p < or = 0.001), rizatriptan being superior within 1 h of treatment. Forty-one percent of patients taking rizatriptan were pain free at 2 h and had no recurrence or need for additional medication, compared to 32.3% of patients on sumatriptan. Rizatriptan was also superior to sumatriptan in terms of the proportions of patients with no nausea, phonophobia or photophobia, and patients with normal function 2 h after treatment intake (p < 0.05). More patients were (completely, very or somewhat) satisfied 2 h after treatment with rizatriptan (73.3%) than 2 h after treatment with sumatriptan (59.0%) (p < or = 0.001). Additionally, 2 h after the dose, more patients found rizatriptan to be very convenient, convenient or somewhat convenient (87.2%) than they did sumatriptan (76.3%) (p < or = 0.001). Both active treatments were well tolerated. The most common side effects with rizatriptan and sumatriptan were nausea (6.6 and 6.9% of patients, respectively), dizziness (6.1 and 5.8%) and somnolence (7.4 and 6.7%).
authors.affiliation: Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pascual
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bussone
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vrijens
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patel
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018170:Sumatriptan / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013607:Tablets; D014230:Triazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014363:Tryptamines
chemical_list: D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D013607:Tablets; D014230:Triazoles; D014363:Tryptamines; C093622:rizatriptan; D018170:Sumatriptan