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Eletriptan for the Short-term Prophylaxis
of Cluster Headache
Zebenholzer K, Wober C, Vigl M, Wessely P.
Posted: June 2004  
Headache 2004;44:361-364

Background:   A beneficial prophylactic effect from Eletriptan 40 mg. given to a single patient with cluster headache was observed.

Methods:   We treated 18 patients; mean age 40.5 years. The number of cluster headache attacks was recorded during a baseline period of 6 days, and during 6 days of treatment with Eletriptan 40 mg. twice daily. The primary outcome measure was the reduction in the number of attacks during the treatment period.

Results:   In the 16 patients who completed the study (2 patients were lost to follow-up), the mean total number of attacks decreased from 10.9 during baseline to 6.3 during treatment with eletriptan. The reduction in the number of attacks exceeded 50% in 6 patients.

Conclusion:   This small open-label study suggests that eletriptan 40 mg. twice daily may be useful for the short-term prophylaxis of cluster headache.