Oral Dexamethasone for Treatment of Migraine

Phase 4 Completed 63 enrolled The Joseph Epstein Centre for Emergency Medicine Research

RandomizedSingle-groupDouble-blindPrevention

Summary

The aim of this project is to determine if a single dose of oral dexamethasone at the time of discharge from the emergency department (ED) \[after successful treatment\] prevents rebound headache. Hypothesis: That single dose oral dexamethasone 8mg reduces the proportion of patients who suffer rebound headache after treatment for migraine in the ED.

Timeline

Start: 2005-04
Primary completion: 2006-12
Completion: 2007-07

Outcome

Missed primary endpoint

paper The rate of recurrent headache in the dexamethasone and control groups was 27% (8/30) vs 39% (12/31) (relative risk (RR) 0.69, 95% CI 0.33 to 1.45, p = 0.47). PMID 18156535 ↗

paper A single oral dose of dexamethasone following phenothiazine treatment for migraine in the ED did not reduce the rate of recurrent headache. PMID 18156535 ↗

Publications

Results Kelly AM, Kerr D, Clooney M. Impact of oral dexamethasone versus placebo after ED treatment of migraine with phenothiazines on the rate of recurrent headache: a randomised controlled trial. Emerg Med J. 2008 Jan;25(1):26-9. doi: 10.1136/emj.2007.052068.

Drugs

Evaluation	Drug	Modality	Dose	Route
Subject	Dexamethasone	Small molecule	8 mg	Oral