Sodium Valproate versus Propranolol in paediatric migraine prophylaxis

In a randomized clinical trial the effect of Sodium Valproate in pediatric migraine prophylaxis was compared with that of Propranolol. One hundred and twenty patients with common migraine (migraine without aura) aged from 3 to 15 years who met the defined criteria enrolled into the study. Randomly the patients were divided in two groups of A and B, treating with sodium Valproate and Propranolol, respectively. Three phases of baseline period (phase I), titration and adjustment period (phases II) and fixed -dose treatment period (phase III) have been designed. A total of 57 patients in group A, and 58 patients in group B completed all phases of the trial. Seventy two percent of patients in group A and 69% of patients in group B have responded to Sodium Vatproate and Propranolol, respectively, as a reduction of more than 50% in headache frequency per month. Further more both drugs have shown efficacy in reducing the severity and duration of headache and also better response to rescue medications (p value <0.01). There was no significant difference in all previously mentioned therapeutic effects between two groups (pvatue <0.05). (c) 2005 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.