Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2005; 10: 52
Acupuncture is widely used to prevent migraine attacks but the available evidence of its benefit is controversial. In a multicentre RCT we investigated whether acupuncture is as effective and safe as metoprolol, a first-line drug for migraine prophylaxis.
A total of 113 patients [89% women, mean (SD) age of 40 (11)] with migraine were randomised to treatment with acupuncture (up to 15 sessions over 12 weeks) or to a control group receiving metoprolol (100–200 mg daily over 12 weeks). Patients completed headache diaries from 4 weeks before (baseline) to 12 weeks after randomisation, and from week 21 to 24 after randomisation (follow-up). Main outcome measure was the difference in days with migraine between baseline and weeks 9 to 12 after randomisation.
Between baseline and weeks 9 to 12, the mean (SD) number of days with migraine decreased by 2.5 (2.9) days in the acupuncture group and by 2.2 (2.7) days in the metoprolol group (P = 0.721). The proportion of responders (≥50% reduction in migraine attacks) was 61% for acupuncture and 49% for metoprolol (P = 0.261). Improvements persisted during the follow-up in both groups. Adverse effects of severe intensity occurred only in the metoprolol group.
The results suggest that acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis is similarly effective and better tolerated than metoprolol. However, due to recruitment problems the number of patients was not sufficient to show statistical equivalence.
The trial was part of a research programme on acupuncture funded by 10 German Social Health Insurance Funds.
