SUBCUTANEOUS SUMATRIPTAN DURING THE MIGRAINE AURA

This double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, parallel-group stu dy assessed whether subcutaneous sumatriptan administered during the m igraine aura would prolong or modify the aura and prevent or delay dev elopment of the headache. One hundred seventy-one patients (88 receivi ng 6 mg sumatriptan, 83 receiving placebo) treated a single attack of migraine with typical aura at home, by self-injection. The median dura tion of aura following the first injection was 25 minutes for the suma triptan group and 30 minutes for the placebo group (NS). The aura symp tom profile was similar for the two treatment groups. The proportion o f patients who developed a moderate or severe headache within 6 hours after dose administration was similar in the two groups-68% among thos e receiving sumatriptan and 75% among those receiving placebo (NS). Su matriptan given during the aura did not prolong or alter the nature of the migraine aura and did not prevent or significantly delay headache development.