AN OPEN STUDY OF SELF-ADMINISTRATION OF SUBCUTANEOUS SUMATRIPTAN TO TREAT SUCCESSIVE ATTACKS OF ACUTE MIGRAINE

The efficacy and safety of single doses of 6 mg sumatriptan, self-admi nistered subcutaneously by patients using an auto-injector, for the ac ute treatment of up to three successive attacks of migraine was invest igated in a multicentre, open, uncontrolled study in which 178 patient s were enrolled. At attack 1, there was an improvement in headache (fr om severe or moderate to mild or no headache) in 74% of patients at 1 h, and in 82% at 2 h. The incidence of symptoms associated with migrai ne was decreased after sumatriptan injection. Nausea, vomiting and pho to/phonophobia were reported by 72, 54, and 85% of patients, respectiv ely, before the injection to treat attack 1, but by only 22, 12 and 27 %, respectively, 2 h after the injection. Migraine recurred within 24 h in 27% of patients, but in 89% of patients was effectively treated w ith a further dose of 6 mg sumatriptan. Results for attacks 2 and 3 we re similar. About 40% of patients experienced at least one adverse eve nt; most of these were mild or moderate in intensity and were transien t. It is concluded that 6 mg sumatriptan, self-administered using an a uto-injector, is an effective and well tolerated treatment for migrain e. Sumatriptan was as effective at attack 3 as at attack 1, and there was no evidence of a change in the incidence or the nature of adverse events with successive uses of the drug.