title: Sumatriptan in migraine with unilateral cranial autonomic symptoms: an open study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the response to sumatriptan in migraineurs with unilateral cranial autonomic symptoms such as lacrimation, eye redness, eyelid edema, nasal congestion, and rhinorrhea.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Given the potential large-scale recruitment of peripheral neurovascular 5-HT1B/1D receptors consequent to the activation of the trigeminal autonomic reflex in such patients, the presence of unilateral cranial autonomic symptoms may predict a positive response to sumatriptan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-two consecutive migraineurs with unilateral cranial autonomic symptoms were given sumatriptan 50-mg tablets to treat 1 migraine attack and were asked to record their clinical response to the drug at different time points. End points were pain-relief and pain-free response at 1 and 2 hours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain relief was reported by 47 patients (65.3%) at 1 hour and by 59 (81.9%) at 2 hours. Pain-free response was reported by 22 patients (30.6%) at 1 hour and by 44 (61.1%) at 2 hours. Responsiveness to sumatriptan did not correlate with the type or number of unilateral cranial autonomic symptoms, demographic characteristics, prophylactic treatments, use of contraceptives, or concomitant tension-type headache.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Migraineurs with unilateral cranial autonomic symptoms seem to respond to sumatriptan better than other migraineurs. The presence of unilateral cranial autonomic symptoms may predict a positive response to the triptans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, University La Sapienza, Viale dell'Università 30, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barbanti
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fabbrini
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vanacore
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pesare
authors.forename: Maria Gabriella
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Buzzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018170:Sumatriptan / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D018170:Sumatriptan