title: The combined effect of acupuncture and Tanacetum parthenium on quality of life in women with headache: randomised study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of acupuncture (AC), Tanacetum (TAN) or combined treatment on quality of life in women with chronic migraine (CM).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 69 women volunteers were randomly divided into 3 groups: AC, acupuncture administered in 20 sessions over 10 weeks (n=22); TAN, at 150 mg/day (n=23); and AC+TAN (n=23). The primary outcome was Short-Form 36 (SF-36) quality of life assessment score. Secondary outcomes included the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) and visual analogue scale (VAS) score experienced after randomisation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AC+TAN was statistically significantly more effective than AC or TAN alone in overall health-related quality of life (SF-36; p<0.05), on MIDAS score (-35.1 (10.6) AC vs -24.8 (11.7) TAN vs -42.5 (9.8) AC+TAN; p<0.05) and in reducing the mean score of pain on VAS (-5.6 (2.4) AC vs -3.7 (2.1) TAN vs -6.4 (3.1) AC+TAN; p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present work shows an improvement of the quality of life and better analgesic effect of acupuncture combined with TAN treatment on migraine pain in women when compared with acupuncture or TAN alone.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Paulista de Estudos Sistêmicos (IPES), Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eliane Cristina
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Ferro
authors.forename: Angelo Piva
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Biagini
authors.forename: Ícaro Eduardo Fuchs
authors.initials: ÍE
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Marcelo Lourenço
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Josie Resende Torres
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D015667:Acupuncture Analgesia; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D020903:Tanacetum parthenium / Q000737:chemistry*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal