Comparison of Therapeutic Effects of Greater Occipital Nerve Block, Topiramate, and Flunarizine on Episodic Migraine

Summary

Background: Preventive drug therapy in migraine aims to reduce the attack frequency, severity and duration of headache. Flunarizine and topiramate are widely used in the prevention of migraine attacks. Greater occipital nerve block (GONB) is an alternative treatment option for the prophylactic treatment of migraine. In this study, investigators compared the effectiveness of GONB, topiramate, and flunarizine in terms of reduction in post-treatment VAS scores and attack frequencies in patients with episodic migraine in a four-week period. Material and Methods: At least one hundred and twenty migraine patients are aimed to be randomly divided into three treatment groups, namely flunarizine (n=40, estimated), topiramate (n=40, estimated) and GONB (n=40, estimated). The patients will be followed up for four weeks and the attack frequencies and VAS scores will be recorded weekly. At the end of the fourth week, the response rates based on 50% and 75% or more reduction in the VAS scores and attack frequencies will be calculated. Group-wise comparisons will be assessed statistically.

Timeline

Start

2019-03-01

Primary completion

2019-03-31

Completion

2019-03-31

Publications

• Background Diener H-C, Goadsby PJ. Migraine In: Brandt T, Caplan L, Dichgans J, Diener H-C, Kennard C (eds) Course and treatment of neurological disorders. 2nd edition. Academic Press, San Diego, (2003). pp 1-16.
• Background Baker C. Double-blind evaluation of flunarizine and placebo in the prophylactic treatment of migraine. Headache 1987; 27:288.
• Background Silberstein SD, Neto W, Schmitt J, Jacobs D; MIGR-001 Study Group. Topiramate in migraine prevention: results of a large controlled trial. Arch Neurol. 2004 Apr;61(4):490-5. doi: 10.1001/archneur.61.4.490.
• Background Bovim G, Sand T. Cervicogenic headache, migraine without aura and tension-type headache. Diagnostic blockade of greater occipital and supra-orbital nerves. Pain. 1992 Oct;51(1):43-48. doi: 10.1016/0304-3959(92)90007-X.

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Indications