~-Blockers for Migraine Prophylaxis Metoprolol and propranolol prove equally effective in this multicentre study

56 patients (aged 18-60 years) who experienced 3-10 attacks of classical or common migraine during a 4-week placebo run-in period entered this multicentre double-blind trial. These patients were randomly allocated to metoprolol 50mg bid or propranolol 40mg bid for 8 weeks and then, after a 4-week placebo washout period, crossed over to the alternative treatment for the last 8 weeks of the study.

Metoprolol and propranolol both significantly reduced the frequency of migraine attacks, the number of days with migraine and the consumption of ergotamine and analgesics compared with values for these parameters during the run-in period. Further, there was no significant difference between the efficacy of the 2 treatments. The median number of migraine attacks suffered per 4-week period was 5.4 during the run-in period, 5.6 during the washout period and 4.2 during the propranolol and metoprolol periods. There was no carryover effect from 1 active treatment to the next. The number of migraine days per 4 weeks was 6.7, 4.5 and 5.0 during run-in, propranolol and metoprolol periods, respectively. 63% of the patients taking metoprolol and 64% of the patients taking propranolol considered that the respective treatment produced a 'marked or moderate' improvement in their condition. Both drugs were equally well tolerated and " , , metoprolol 50mg twice daily and propranolol 40mg twice daily seem to be equally effective in the prophylactic treatment of migraine', Olsson. JE. Behring. H,C .. Forssman. B: Hedman. C. Hedman. G. et al., Acta Neurologica Scandinavica 10,' 160-168 (Sep 1984)

0156-2703/85/0126-0009/0$01.00/0 © ADIS Press INPHARMA® 26 Jan 1985 9