Zolmitriptan Nasal Spray in the Acute Treatment of Cluster Headache: A Meta-Analysis of Two Studies

• Published in: Headache Vol. 49; no. 9; pp. 1315 - 1323
• Main Authors: Hedlund, Cecilia, Rapoport, Alan M., Dodick, David W., Goadsby, Peter J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.10.2009; Wiley-Blackwell
• Subjects: Acute Disease - therapy; acute headache treatment; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; chronic; Chronic Disease - drug therapy; cluster headache; Cluster Headache - drug therapy; Cross-Over Studies; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; double-blind; Double-Blind Method; episodic; Female; Headache. Facial pains. Syncopes. Epilepsia. Intracranial hypertension. Brain oedema. Cerebral palsy; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Oxazolidinones - administration & dosage; Placebo Effect; Serotonin Receptor Agonists - administration & dosage; Treatment Outcome; Tryptamines - administration & dosage; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; Young Adult; zolmitriptan; Cluster analysis; Blind; Agonist; Nervous system diseases; episodic; Antimigrainous agent; Zolmitriptan; Tryptamine derivatives; Cardiovascular disease; 5-HT1 Serotonine receptor; Serotonin agonist; acute headache treatment; Cerebral disorder; Vascular disease; Chronic; Cluster headache; Pain; Treatment; Central nervous system disease; Triptan derivatives; Indole derivatives; Cerebrovascular disease; double-blind
• ISSN: 0017-8748; 1526-4610; 1526-4610
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2009.01518.x

Objective.— To conduct an individual subject meta‐analysis of available controlled studies of zolmitriptan nasal spray in the acute treatment of cluster headache. Background.— Two double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, randomized, crossover studies of zolmitriptan nasal spray in the acute treatment of cluster headache, with similar patient populations, protocol designs, doses, and clinical endpoints have been published. Methods.— In both double‐blind studies, each patient was to treat 3 attacks, 1 with placebo, 1 with zolmitriptan 5 mg, and 1 with zolmitriptan 10 mg in a randomized, crossover manner. Headache intensity was rated on a 5‐point scale (none to very severe). The primary endpoint was headache relief at 30 minutes post dose: reduction from moderate, severe, or very severe pain to mild or none. A multilevel, random‐effects, logistic regression model was used to analyze the data. Results.— A total of 121 patients (100 male; 64.5% with episodic cluster headache) provided efficacy data for at least 1 attack. Zolmitriptan 5 mg and 10 mg were significantly more effective at providing headache relief at 30 minutes post treatment than placebo (odds ratio 3.48; 95% confidence interval 1.49‐8.10 and odds ratio 8.68; 95% confidence interval: 3.35‐22.5, respectively). For episodic cluster headache, response rates were 35.6%, 51.7%, and 73.7% for placebo, zolmitriptan 5 mg (odds ratio 2.5; P = .06 vs placebo), and 10 mg (odds ratio 9.9; P < .001 vs placebo), respectively. For chronic cluster headache, response rates were 17.2%, 41.9%, and 40.7% for placebo, zolmitriptan 5 mg (odds ratio 8.1; P = .035), and 10 mg (odds ratio 7.6; P = .046), respectively. Zolmitriptan was well tolerated in both studies with no serious adverse events reported. Conclusion.— Zolmitriptan nasal spray at a dose of 5 mg and 10 mg is efficacious in the acute treatment of episodic and chronic cluster headache.