Authors : Mahmoud Gh. Mirzaei, Mojtaba Azimian, Mahmoud Rafieian-Kopaei and Bijan Khorasany
Abstract: Lamotrigine is effective in migraine with aura (classic migraine). However, its usefulness in migraine without aura (common migraine) is not clearly established. The purpose was to investigate the activity of lamotrigine on migraine with aura in comparison with any activity on migraine without aura in younger patients. In the study, 155 patients aged 4-14 years, suffering migraine headaches were diagnosed using International Headache Society (IHS) criteria. About 24 (15.5%) patients suffered classic migraine and 131 (84.5%) had common migraine. Each patient was prescribed lamotrigine (0.5 up to 3 mg/kg/day) for 6 months and evaluated monthly. Migraine frequency and intensity were recorded for 2 months before drug usage and 6 months during lamotrigine administration (acetaminophen was prescribed if needed). Lamotrigine induced a 45.2 and 17.1% reduction in the frequency of migraine attacks with and without aura, respectively. It also produced a 41.3 and 28.9% reduction in intensity of migraine with and without aura, respectively. About 14 patients in the classic migraine group and 23 patients in common migraine group were markedly improved (p<0.001). The results demonstrate that in younger patients, lamotrigine reduces both frequency and intensity of migraine in the presence and absence of aura.
Mahmoud Gh. Mirzaei, Mojtaba Azimian, Mahmoud Rafieian-Kopaei and Bijan Khorasany, 2011. Lamotrigine Effectiveness Against Classic and Common Migraine. Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 6: 51-54.