Tolfenamic acid decreases migraine recurrence when used with sumatriptan

Although sumatriptan is an effective drug for the treatment of acute migrai ne attacks, recurrence has been cited as an important limitation for its us e. Tolfenamic acid is also effective in the acute treatment of migraine att acks. We studied the recurrence rate of migraine attacks with the use of su matriptan plus tolfenamic acid among patients who presented frequent recurr ence with sumatriptan. Fifty migraineurs were retrospectively studied, all having treated at least 10 attacks with 100 mg P.O.; sumatripian was effect ive in at least eight of them. The patients also presented recurrence in le ss than 24 h in at least five of the treated attacks. We then used sumatrip tan 100 mg plus tolfenamic acid 200 mg P.O. during the first 60 min of the attack; 240 attacks were treated and there was recurrence in 57 (23.8%). Wi th sumatriptan alone, 5 out of 8 attacks (62.5%) presented recurrence. We t herefore conclude that the combination sumatritpan plus tolfenamic acid is effective in reducing the recurrence rate from 5 of 8 (62.5%) to 1.19 of 5 (23.8%). Further prospective studies with a double-blind design and a highe r number of treated attacks are necessary to confirm these initial observat ions.