A Study Examining the Use of a Migraine Medicine in the Treatment of Two Migraine Attacks in Patients Who Have Increased Skin Sensitivity

Study Summary

This is a research study examining a migraine medicine dihydroergotamine mesylate (DHE-45).It will be used to treat two migraine attacks in subjects who have a history of skin sensitivity associated with their headaches.This skin sensitivity is called cutaneous allodynia (pronounced q-tay-nee-us al-o-din-ee-uh).Cutaneous allodynia is a sensation of pain when a non-noxious stimulus is applied to normal skin. It has been noted in several studies that in subjects with migraine, seventy nine percent of the subjects experienced allodynia on the facial skin on the same side as the headache. It has also been shown that that once allodynia develops, other migraine medicines that would normally be very effective for migraine pain, become much less effective or ineffective. This study will compare the differences,if any, in attacks treated early with this study drug and treated later with the same study drug. It is hoped that that this trial will provide information on the use of DHE-45 in subjects who have cutaneous allodynia. Understanding more about allodynia may help us understand how the pain system works in migraine.

Primary Outcome

Data was collected at 2 hours post treatment to assess pain level. This assessment was done when subjects treated a migraine early (defined as treatment at 2 hours after onset of throbbing pain)and then late (defined as treatment at 4 hours after onset of throbbing pain). The proportion of subjects reporting headache relief at the 2 hour post treatment assessment was determined for each group and then compared.

Conditions Studied

Interventions

• DRUG dihydroergotamine mesylate

Study Locations (1)