Frovatriptan versus other triptans in the acute treatment of migraine: pooled analysis of three double-blind, randomized, cross-over, multicenter, Italian studies

• Published in: Neurological sciences 2011-05, Vol.32 (Suppl 1), p.95-98
• Main Authors: Cortelli, Pietro, Allais, Gianni, Tullo, Vincenzo, Benedetto, Chiara, Zava, Dario, Omboni, Stefano, Bussone, Gennaro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Analgesics - therapeutic use; Carbazoles - therapeutic use; Cross-Over Studies; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Italy; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Migraine; Migraine Disorders - drug therapy; Multicenter Studies as Topic; Neurology; Neuroradiology; Neurosciences; Neurosurgery; Psychiatry; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Symposium - Antimigraine Treatment: Preferences and Optimization; Tryptamines - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1590-1874; 1590-3478
• DOI: 10.1007/s10072-011-0551-2

The objective of the study is to systematically review the efficacy and safety of frovatriptan (F) versus rizatriptan (R), zolmitriptan (Z) and almotriptan (A), through a pooled analysis of three individual studies. 414 subjects with a history of migraine with or without aura (IHS criteria) were randomized to F 2.5 mg or R 10 mg (study 1), F 2.5 mg or Z 2.5 mg (study 2), and F 2.5 mg or A 12.5 mg (study 3). The studies had an identical multicenter, randomized, double blind, cross-over design, with each of the two treatment periods lasting not more than 3 months. The number of pain free (PF) and pain relief (PR) episodes at 2 h, and the number of sustained pain free (SPF) and recurrent episodes within the 48 h were the efficacy endpoints. 346 patients were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Rate of PF episodes at 2 h was 30% with F and 34% with comparators ( p  = NS). PR episodes at 2 h were 55% for F and 59% for comparators ( p  = NS). SPF episodes at 48 h were also similar between the two groups (22% F vs. 21% comparators). Rate of recurrence was significantly ( p