Clinical Edge Journal Scan

Meta-analysis Compares Effectiveness of Parenteral Agents for Migraine Pain in ED


 

Key clinical point: Combination therapy with two parenteral agents or monotherapy with either neuroleptics or metoclopramide can be considered as a first-line treatment option for the management of acute migraine pain in the emergency department (ED) settings.

Major finding: Combination therapy of two parenteral agents vs placebo was an effective treatment option in reducing pain intensity scores (mean difference −3.36; 95% CI −4.64 to −2.08) and increasing the rate of achievement of pain relief (risk ratio 2.83; 95% CI 1.74-4.61). Monotherapy with neuroleptics and metoclopramide also provided pain relief and helped patients achieve pain-free status prior to discharge from the ED but increased the risk for adverse events, especially akathisia.

Study details: This meta-analysis of 97 randomized controlled trials evaluated the effectiveness of various parenteral agents for pain relief in patients with acute migraine presenting to the ED.

Disclosures: This study was funded by the Emergency Medicine Research Group, Canada. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Kirkland SW, Visser L, Meyer J, et al. The effectiveness of parenteral agents for pain reduction in patients with migraine presenting to emergency settings: A systematic review and network analysis. Headache. 2024;64(4):424-447. doi: 10.1111/head.14704 Source

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