Frovatriptan for the prevention of postdural puncture headache

Cephalalgia. 2007 Jul;27(7):809-13. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007.01327.x.

Abstract

Efficacy of 5-day treatment with oral frovatriptan 2.5 mg/die for the prophylaxis of post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) was tested in 50 in-patients. A mild headache occurred in 7 (14%) patients for a total of 9 days (p < 0.01 vs. no-PDPH). Most episodes of PDPH occurred in the first days of treatment (only 1 patient had headache at dismissal): 5 patients had only 1 episode, while 2 had headache for 2 consecutive days. No other symptoms were recorded. Occurrence of PDPH in a subgroup of 6 (12%) patients previously submitted to a diagnostic lumbar puncture was also examined: 4 of them reported a PDPH on the previous lumbar puncture in absence of triptans. In only 1 of these 4 patients PDPH recurred under treatment with frovatriptan. In conclusion, our non-randomized open-label study suggests efficacy of oral frovatriptan for PDPH prevention. These results need to be confirmed in a randomized, controlled, double-blind study.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Carbazoles / administration & dosage*
  • Encephalitis / diagnosis
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiple Sclerosis / diagnosis
  • Myelitis / diagnosis
  • Pilot Projects
  • Post-Dural Puncture Headache / prevention & control*
  • Serotonin Receptor Agonists / administration & dosage*
  • Tryptamines / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • Carbazoles
  • Serotonin Receptor Agonists
  • Tryptamines
  • frovatriptan