Intravenous dipyrone in the acute treatment of migraine without aura and migraine with aura: a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study.
BACKGROUND
Dipyrone (Metamizol) has been used in the acute treatment of migraines in Brazil. Some investigators have found it to be a highly effective medication for migraine pain and associated symptoms.


OBJECTIVE
To conduct a randomized, placebo controlled, double blind study to assess the effect of dipyrone on the pain and symptoms associated with migraine without aura or with aura and the adverse effect profile of this medication.


METHODS
For the migraine without aura group, 44 patients were assigned at random to receive 1 g intravenous dipyrone, and 30 patients received 10 mL 0.9% physiological saline. For the migraine with aura group, 30 patients received both dipyrone or placebo. We used seven parameters of analgesic evaluation and an analog scale to assess nausea, photophobia, and phonophobia.


RESULTS
Patients receiving dipyrone demonstrated a statistically superior improvement (P<.05 and P<.01) in pain and all associated symptoms compared with control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Dipyrone is an effective drug for the relief of acute migraine pain and associated symptoms.
Bigal
Marcelo E
ME
Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.
Bordini
Carlos A
CA
Tepper
Stewart J
SJ
Speciali
José G
JG
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004177:Dipyrone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D020325:Migraine with Aura / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020326:Migraine without Aura / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000700:Analgesics; D004177:Dipyrone