Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Prophylaxis of migraine with oral magnesium: results from a prospective, multi-center, placebo-controlled and double-blind randomized study.
In order to evaluate the prophylactic effect of oral magnesium, 81 patients aged 18-65 years with migraine according to the International Headache Society (IHS) criteria (mean attack frequency 3.6 per month) were examined. After a prospective baseline period of 4 weeks they received oral 600 mg (24 mmol) magnesium (trimagnesium dicitrate) daily for 12 weeks or placebo. In weeks 9-12 the attack frequency was reduced by 41.6% in the magnesium group and by 15.8% in the placebo group compared to the baseline (p < 0.05). ⋯ Duration and intensity of the attacks and the drug consumption per attack also tended to decrease compared to placebo but failed to be significant. Adverse events were diarrhea (18.6%) and gastric irritation (4.7%). High-dose oral magnesium appears to be effective in migraine prophylaxis.
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The aim of the present study was to compare the late exteroceptive suppression period (ES2) of temporalis muscle activity between patients with chronic tension-type headache and healthy controls, and to investigate the influence, if any, of actual headache on ES2. ES2 was recorded in 55 patients and in 55 controls with a previously evaluated methodology and analysed by a blinded observer. ⋯ ES2 duration was not related to the frequency of headache, headache intensity, age, pericranial muscle tenderness or electrical pain threshold. Our results strongly indicate that ES2 is normal in chronic tension-type headache and therefore may not be related to the pathophysiology of this disorder.
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Fifty-eight migraineurs were studied by intermediate frequency steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) during headache-free periods. Sex, age, age of onset of migraine, duration of illness, type of migraine, side of pain, sleep-wake disorders, and frequency of migraine attacks did not correlate with any SSVEP abnormalities. On the other hand, visual responsiveness was significantly increased in subjects with family history of migraine, and in those with autonomic symptoms. Our results may indicate that a genetic predisposition to migraine underlies the observed abnormal visual response in migraineurs.