Abstract
Background A model for the testing of novel anti-migraine drugs should preferably use healthy volunteers for ease of recruiting. Isosorbide-5-mononitrate (5-ISMN) provokes headache in healthy volunteers with some migraine features such as pulsating pain quality and aggravation by physical activity. Therefore, this headache might respond to sumatriptan, a requirement for validation of any model. The hypothesis of the present study was that sumatriptan is effective in 5-ISMN-induced headache in healthy individuals. Methods In a double-blind, randomised, crossover design, 30 healthy volunteers of both sexes received 5-ISMN 60 mg on two separate days, each day followed by oral self-administered placebo or sumatriptan 50 mg. Headache response and accompanying symptoms were registered in a questionnaire by the participants themselves. Results 5-ISMN induced a reproducible headache in all 30 participants. The headache had several migraine-like features in all participants and 20 individuals developed a migraine-like attack. Median peak headache score was 5 on both experimental days ( p = 1.00). There was no reduction, but instead an increase in headache intensity 2 hours after sumatriptan ( p = 0.003). Difference in area under the headache score curve (AUC) 0-4 hours between sumatriptan and placebo was not significant ( p = 0.30). Conclusion 5-ISMN is a very powerful inducer of migraine-like headache in healthy individuals but the headache does not respond to sumatriptan. The model is not useful for future drug testing.
Originalsprog | Engelsk |
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Tidsskrift | Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache |
Vol/bind | 37 |
Udgave nummer | 1 |
Sider (fra-til) | 11-19 |
ISSN | 0333-1024 |
DOI | |
Status | Udgivet - 1 jan. 2017 |