[Low versus high doses of topiramate in the preventive treatment of migraine].
BACKGROUND
The efficacy of topiramate in the preventive treatment of migraine is well demonstrated. Clinical trials indicate that the dose of 100 mg/daily is the ideal in terms of efficacy, but doses as low as 50 mg/ daily show some efficacy, which could improve its tolerability in some patients.


OBJECTIVE
To analyse the behaviour of the different doses of topiramate in daily clinical practice.


METHODS
Patients with frequent migraine with or without aura episodes who received topiramate in our clinic were treated in a homogeneous way. Initially they were given 50 mg/daily (usually as a nocturnal dose), after increasing the dose in 2-3 weeks. The efficacy was evaluated after 6-8 weeks. If no response (decrease in frequency by at least 50%) was observed the dose of topiramate was increased (25 mg/week) up to 100 mg/daily, The patients were seen at least once every 3 months.


RESULTS
This series includes 182 patients. Globally, 75% of the patients responded, 14% did not respond and 11% did not tolerate the drug. One-quarter of patients (44 cases) responded to low doses, while 92 patients (51%) responded to the 100 mg/dose. Tolerability slightly decreased on increasing the dose.


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that one-quarter of the patients respond to low doses in daily clinical practice, though about half of these patients will need doses of 100 mg/day. Given the higher tolerability of low doses, we recommend trying first low doses before giving higher doses, which will be necessary in half of the patients.
Cacabelos
P
P
Servicio de Neurologia, Hospital Universitario, Salamanca, Spain.
El Berdei
Y
Y
Rivas
M T
MT
Riveira
C
C
Conde
A
A
Pascual
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005632:Fructose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000077236:Topiramate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077236:Topiramate; D005632:Fructose