[A comparative efficiency of amitriptyline, fluoxetine and maprotiline in prevention of migraine in attack-free period]

Abstract

To reduce frequency and severity of the attacks, migraine was treated preventively between the attacks. The most effective drugs were beta-blockers and antidepressants. In a single-blind study we estimated comparative efficiency of amitriptiline (inhibitor of noradrenaline and serotonin reuptake and 5-HT2-receptor antagonist) 12.5-25 mg/daily, fluoxetine (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) 10-20 mg/daily, and maprotiline (a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor) 10-25 mg/daily. The duration of the therapy of migraine between the attacks was 12 weeks. Each group included 20 patients. 46 patients completed the whole course of therapy: 14 patients received amitriptyline, 16 patients--fluoxetine, and 16 patients--maprotiline. Positive results of the treatment (a reduction of the frequency of the migraine attacks during a treatment by 50% as compared with the baseline period) were observed in 71% of the patients treated with amitriptyline, in 56% of the patients treated with fluoxetine, and in 38% of the patients treated with maprotiline. All the drugs were able to reduce both intensity and duration of a headache. Index of the Quality of Life in the patients with migraine was increased in the groups treated with either amitriptyline or fluoxetine, but not in a group treated with maprotiline. The results obtained agree with the notion about high efficiency of antidepressants given between migraine attacks. Amitriptyline and fluoxetine were more efficient in preventive therapy than maprotiline. These findings suggested indirectly, that the efficiency of antidepressants in treatment of migraine is explained by inhibition of serotonin reuptake and by 5-HT2-receptor antagonism, while influence on the inhibition of noradrenaline reuptake was not so significant.