Comparing the effects of memantine and sodium valproate in prevention of chronic and episodic migraine

Abstract

Background: Considering high prevalence of treatment failure in migraine and resistance to common drugs and their side effects, trying to find new treatments in chronic and relapsing migraine is important. The aim of this study was comparing the effect on memantine and sodium valpruate in treatment of chronic and episodic migraine headaches. Methods: In a cross-over clinical trial study, 70 patients with chronic or relapsing migraine were selected and randomly divided in two equal groups. The groups were treated using memantine or sodim valruate for 3 months and after 4 weeks of wash-out, the method of treatment was replaced and continued for 3 months. The number of headache attacks, pain intensity, analgesia consumption and duration of headache were compared between the two groups. Findings: Time, intensity and duration of headaches were decreased in both groups significantly; but the number of attacks and duration of headache was not significantly different. The decrease of headache intensity in the memantine groups was significantly higher than the sodium valpruate groups (P = 0.021). Conclusion: Both memantine and sodium valpruate had positive effects for prevention of relapsing migraine attack, headache intensity and duration of headache; but the side effects of memantine in lower and it is a better selection for prevention of migraine headache. © 2015 Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.