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Topiramate as an Adjunctive Treatment in Migraine Prophylaxis
Martinez HR, Londono O, et al.
Posted: January 2004  
Headache 2003;43:1080-1084

Background:   Anticonvulsants now are commonly used for headache prevention. Topiramate, one of the newer anticonvulsants, recently has been demonstrated to be effective as monotherapy for migraine prophylaxis.

Objective:   To assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of topiramate as adjunctive prophylactic therapy for migraine.

Results:   Twenty-five women and 11 men (mean age, 44 years) were evaluated. Existing prophylactic treatment was either propranolol or flunarizine (or both) in 80% of the patients. At 3 months of therapy with topiramate, headache frequency decreased from 17 to 3 episodes per month, headache duration from 559 to 32 minutes, and intensity from 9 to 1 by visual analog scale. Improvement in frequency and severity of migraine was observed in 83% of patients. Slight or no changes in headache were observed in 6 patients. Tolerability was good in 30 patients. The most common side effects were acroparesthesias, weight loss, sleepiness, and headache worsening. No adverse interaction with propranolol or flunarizine was observed.

Conclusions:   These results suggest that topiramate is efficacious and safe as an adjunctive treatment in patients with migraine whose prior response to prophylactic management has been less than satisfactory.