Naproxen sodium decreases migraine recurrence when administered with sumatriptan

ABSTRACT

Forty to 78 per cent of the patients using sumatriptan for the acute treatment of migraine may present recurrence at least occasionally. The concomitant use of a NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) has been recommended to decrease the recurrence rate. Sixty seven patients that treated successfully 8 migraine attacks with 100 mg of sumatritpan PO and presented recurrence in at least 5 attacks were studied prospectively. The patients received 100 mg of sumatriptan and 550 mg of naproxen sodium PO to treat 4 consecutive moderate or severe migraine attacks. The recurrence rate, once at least 62.5 per cent (5 out of 8 attacks), decreased to 14.2 per cent (38 out of 268 attacks) with the combination of compounds (p<0.0001). We then studied two groups of 13 patients made randomicaly from the 67 initially evaluated, that were given sumatriptan 100 mg plus naproxen sodium 550 mg or placebo, in a double-blind design, to treat 3 other consecutive migraine attacks. Each group of patients treated 39 attacks. The recurrence among the patients taking sumatriptan plus placebo was 59 per cent (23 out of 39 attacks) and the recurrence presented by the group taking sumatriptan plus naproxen was 25.5 per cent (10 out of 39 attacks) (p<0.0003). We concluded that the combination of sumatriptan plus naproxen sodium decreases significantly migraine recurrence presented by patients taking sumatriptan alone.