Topiramate, Amitriptyline Monotherapy and Combination Therapy in Migraine Prophylaxis

Background: Migraine is a common headache that can significantly impair the lives of otherwise normally functioning people. Several drugs are used individually for migraine prophylaxis, all of which have varying degrees of adverse effects, that may significantly limit their use. There is a need for effective, well tolerated and affordable drug for chronic migraine prophylaxis either alone or in combination in low socioeconomic countries.

To study and compare the efficacy and safety of Topiramte ,Amitrptyline monotherapy and combination therapy as prophylactic treatment in migraine patients .This single center, open label clinical trial will be conducted in Dhaka medical college and hospital . Patients who matches the inclusion and exclusion criteria will be enrolled in the study after taking written informed consent from all who agrees to participate. Migraine will be diagnosed according to the criteria of the Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (3rd edition). After enrollment Simple random sampling will be done by parallel design as 1:1:1. Total 150 patients with migraine will be subdivided into three group: group A (n=50) will be treated with Topiramate and group B (n=50) with Amitriptyline and group C (n=50) with Topiramate plus Amitriptyline combination . Topiramate will be given to group A as 25 mg daily for first week ,then 25 mg twice daily till the end of the study. Group B will receive Amitriptyline 10mg daily for first week then 25mg daily till the end of the study. Group C will receive Topiramate 25 mg daily plus Amitrityline 10mg daily for first week then Topiramate 25 mg twice daily plus Amitrityline 25mg daily till the end of the study. Day 1 will be date of randomization and taking drug. Frequency, severity ,duration of headache and headache impact severity will be recorded at the biginning of study and end of 8 weeks and 12 weeks of treatment period. The patients will maintain a headache diary during the whole period. Information on demographic characteristics and migraine symptoms ,signs will be collected by a structured questionnaire .The evaluation of the treatment at the end of 8 weeks and 12 weeks of treatment period will be done by direct or telephonic interview . The outcome measures will be reduction of headache frequency and severity (using visual analogue scale of pain), duration of headache and improvement of headache impact (using HIT-6 scoring). Throughout the study, patients will be monitored for any symptoms or signs of adverse effects.