Comparison of subcutaneous sumatriptan with usual acute treatments for migraine.

217 migraine patients (aged 20–65 yrs) were randomized into a multicenter, crossover study comparing subcutaneous/ly (sc) sumatriptan (SU) with combinations of analgesics, ergotamine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and dihydroergotamine. Ss were treated for 2 mo or up to 12 attacks, and then crossed over to the alternative treatment for the same duration. Rescue medication was allowed 2 hrs after the 1st dose. At 2-hr postdosing, an average of 78% of attacks per patient were successfully relieved by SU compared with 15% for the other treatments, and 63% of attacks per patient were completely relieved by SU compared with 15% for the other treatments. SU-treated Ss used rescue medication for 19% of their attacks vs 59% for comparator drugs. Improvements in self-rated quality of life scores were 3 times higher for SU than for other treatments. The tolerability of all treatments, including SU, was good. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)