ABSTRACT
Background: Migraine and other recurrent headaches are considered a major public health concern. Levetiracetam, a broad spectrum anti-epileptic have been used in migraine prophylaxis
Objectives: Assessment the efficacy of levetiracetam on migraine in comparison to sodium valproate
Materials and Methods: This randomized double blind clinical trial was performed on patients with migraine headache, diagnosed based on ICDH-version B criteria. One group received levetiracetam and the other group received valproate sodium. The number of migraine attacks per month, the mean duration of attacks and the intensity of pain [VAS] and disability due to headache [MIDAS] were assessed at first and after four weeks of treatment. Data were analyzed in SPSS 20 by Mann-Whitney-U and Chi-square tests. The significance level was set<0.05
Results: Thirty patients [28 women and 2 men, mean age of 35.14 +/- 7.3 years] remained in the valproate group and 33 patients [31women and 2 men, mean age of 36.33 +/- 6.7 years] in the levetiracetam group. The patients in both groups showed a statistically significant reduction in the frequency of headache [p=0.0001]; intensity of headache [p=0.004]; mean duration of attacks [p=0.0001] and MIDAS score of disability [p=0.004] compared to baseline. There was also a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of frequency of attacks [p=0.0001], intensity of pain [p=0.0001]; and MIDAS score [p=0.0001], by the end of the treatment with superiority of levetiracetam
Conclusion: Levetiracetam, compared to valproate, yielded better results in prophylaxis of migraine headache