title: Crossover comparison of efficacy and preference for rizatriptan 10 mg versus ergotamine/caffeine in migraine.
abstract: Rizatriptan 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 double- blind crossover outpatient study assessed the preference for 1 rizatriptan 10 mg tablet to 2 ergotamine 1 mg/caffeine 100 mg tablets in 439 patients treating a single migraine attack with each therapy. Of patients expressing a preference (89.1%), more than twice as many preferred rizatriptan to ergotamine/caffeine (69.9 vs. 30.1%, p < or = 0.001). Faster relief of headache was the most important reason for preference, cited by 67.3% of patients preferring rizatriptan and 54.2% of patients who preferred ergotamine/caffeine. The co-primary endpoint of being pain free at 2 h was also in favor of rizatriptan. Forty-nine percent of patients were pain free 2 h after rizatriptan, compared with 24.3% treated with ergotamine/caffeine (p < or = 0.001), rizatriptan being superior within 1 h of treatment. Headache relief at 2 h was 75.9% for rizatriptan and 47.3% for ergotamine/caffeine (p < or = 0.001), with rizatriptan being superior to ergotamine/caffeine within 30 min of dosing. Almost 36% of patients taking rizatriptan were pain free at 2 h and had no recurrence or need for additional medication within 24 h, compared to 20% of patients on ergotamine/caffeine (p < or = 0.001). Rizatriptan was also superior to ergotamine/caffeine in the proportions of patients with no nausea, vomiting, phonophobia or photophobia and for patients with normal function 2 h after drug intake (p < or = 0.001). More patients were (completely, very or somewhat) satisfied 2 h after treatment with rizatriptan (69.8%) than at 2 h after treatment with ergotamine/caffeine (38.6%, p < or = 0.001). Recurrence rates were 31.4% with rizatriptan and 15.3% with ergotamine/caffeine. Both active treatments were well tolerated. The most common adverse events (incidence > or = 5% in one group) after rizatriptan and ergotamine/caffeine, respectively, were dizziness (6.7 and 5.3%), nausea (4.2 and 8.5%) and somnolence (5.5 and 2.3%).
authors.affiliation: Ottawa Headache Centre, Ottawa, Canada.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Christie
authors.forename: Hartmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Göbel
authors.forename: Valentin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mateos
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: France
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vrijens
authors.forename: Malathi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shivaprakash
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002110:Caffeine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004878:Ergotamine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014230:Triazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014363:Tryptamines
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D014230:Triazoles; D014363:Tryptamines; D002110:Caffeine; C093622:rizatriptan; D004878:Ergotamine