Eletriptan for the short-term prophylaxis of cluster headache.
BACKGROUND
A beneficial prophylactic effect from eletriptan 40 mg given to a single patient with cluster headache was observed.


OBJECTIVE
To further evaluate the efficacy of eletriptan in the short-term prophylaxis of cluster headache.


METHODS
We treated 18 patients; mean age, 40.5 years (standard deviation [SD], 9.9). The number of cluster headache attacks was recorded during a baseline period of 6 days, and during 6 days of treatment with eletriptan 40 mg twice daily. The primary outcome measure was the reduction in the number of attacks during the treatment period.


RESULTS
In the 16 patients who completed the study (2 patients were lost to follow-up), the mean total number of attacks decreased from 10.9 (SD, 5.6) during baseline to 6.3 (SD, 3.7) during treatment with eletriptan (P=.01) The reduction in the number of attacks exceeded 50% in 6 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
This small open-label study suggests that eletriptan 40 mg twice daily may be useful for the short-term prophylaxis of cluster headache.
Zebenholzer
Karin
K
Department of Neurology, University of Vienna (Austria) Medical School.
Wöber
Christian
C
Vigl
Marion
M
Wessely
Peter
P
D000328:Adult; D003027:Cluster Headache / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014363:Tryptamines
D007211:Indoles; D011759:Pyrrolidines; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D014363:Tryptamines; C115647:eletriptan