Zolmitriptan clinical studies
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Clinical Studies
Zolmitriptan Tablets
The efficacy of zolmitriptan tablets in the acute treatment of migraine headaches was demonstrated in five randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies (Studies 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5), of which two utilized the 1 mg dose, two utilized the 2.5 mg dose and four utilized the 5 mg dose. In Study 1, patients treated their headaches in a clinic setting. In the other studies, patients treated their headaches as outpatients. In Study 4, patients who had previously used sumatriptan were excluded, whereas in the other studies no such exclusion was applied.
Patients enrolled in these 5 studies were predominantly female (82%) and Caucasian (97%) with a mean age of 40 years (range 12 to 65). Patients were instructed to treat a moderate to severe headache. Headache response, defined as a reduction in headache severity from moderate or severe pain to mild or no pain, was assessed at 1, 2, and, in most studies, 4 hours after dosing. Associated symptoms such as nausea, photophobia, and phonophobia were also assessed. Maintenance of response was assessed for up to 24 hours post-dose. A second dose of zolmitriptan tablets or other medication was allowed 2 to 24 hours after the initial treatment for persistent and recurrent headache. The frequency and time to use of these additional treatments were also recorded. In all studies, the effect of zolmitriptan was compared to placebo in the treatment of a single migraine attack.
In all five studies, the percentage of patients achieving headache response 2 hours after treatment was significantly greater among patients who received zolmitriptan tablets at all doses (except for the 1 mg dose in the smallest study) compared to those who received placebo. In Studies 1 and 3, there was a statistically significant greater percentage of patients with headache response at 2 hours in the higher dose groups (2.5 and/or 5 mg) compared to the 1 mg dose group. There were no statistically significant differences between the 2.5 and 5 mg dose groups (or of doses up to 20 mg) for the primary end point of headache response at 2 hours in any study. The results of these controlled clinical studies are summarized in Table 2.
The estimated probability of achieving an initial headache response by 4 hours following treatment in pooled Studies 2, 3, and 5 is depicted in Figure 1.
For patients with migraine associated photophobia, phonophobia, and nausea at baseline, there was a decreased incidence of these symptoms following administration of zolmitriptan tablets as compared with placebo.
Two to 24 hours following the initial dose of study treatment, patients were allowed to use additional treatment for pain relief in the form of a second dose of study treatment or other medication. The estimated probability of patients taking a second dose or other medication for migraine over the 24 hours following the initial dose of study treatment is summarized in Figure 2.
The efficacy of zolmitriptan was unaffected by presence of aura; duration of headache prior to treatment; relationship to menses; gender, age, or weight of the patient; pre-treatment nausea or concomitant use of common migraine prophylactic drugs.
Zolmitriptan Orally Disintegrating Tablets
The efficacy of zolmitriptan 2.5 mg orally disintegrating tablets was demonstrated in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial (Study 6) that was similar in design to the trials of zolmitriptan tablets. Patients were instructed to treat a moderate to severe headache. Of the 471 patients treated in Study 6, 87% were female and 97% were Caucasian, with a mean age of 41 years (range 18 to 62).
At 2 hours post-dosing, there was a statistically significant greater percentage of patients treated with zolmitriptan orally disintegrating tablets 2.5 mg with a headache response (reduction in headache severity from moderate or severe pain to mild or no headache) compared to patients treated with placebo (63% vs. 22%). The estimated probability of achieving an initial headache response by 2 hours following treatment with zolmitriptan orally disintegrating tablets is depicted in Figure 3.
For patients with migraine-associated photophobia, phonophobia and nausea at baseline, there was a decreased incidence of these symptoms following administration of zolmitriptan orally disintegrating tablets as compared to placebo. Two to 24 hours following the initial dose of study treatment, patients were allowed to use additional treatment in the form of a second dose of study treatment or other medication. The estimated probability of patients taking a second dose or other medication for migraine over the 24 hours following the initial dose of study treatment in Study 6 is summarized in Figure 4.[1]
References
Adapted from the FDA Package Insert.