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Updated: Oct 5, 2025

Ex Vivo Release of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide from the Trigeminovascular System in Rodents
Published on: May 16, 2022
Effectiveness of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Receptor Antagonists for Migraine Treatment: A Meta-Analysis
Kyoungjune Pak1, Jiyoung Kim2, Gha-Hyun Lee2
1Department of Nuclear Medicine and Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea.
Introduction:
The pathophysiology of migraine has been researched incessantly, and it has been suggested that calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is associated with migraine attacks. CGRP receptor blockers are attracting attention as potential agents for migraine prevention and treatment of acute episodes. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the effects of available CGRP receptor antagonists, focusing on their therapeutic doses for acute migraine treatment.
Methods:
We systematically searched MEDLINE and Embase from inception to March 27, 2021, for English-language publications using the keywords "migraine" and "calcitonin gene-related peptide"; the searches were limited to human studies.
Results:
Five studies that focused on examining the effects of CGRP receptor antagonists on acute migraine treatment met the eligibility criteria for this meta-analysis. A pooled analysis demonstrated that CGRP receptor antagonists significantly increased freedom from pain (odds ratio [OR] = 2.066, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.766-2.418, I2 = 0%) and from bothersome symptoms in general (OR = 1.606, 95% CI = 1.408-1.830, I2 = 0%); reduced the intensity of pain (OR = 1.791, 95% CI = 1.598-2.008, I2 = 0%); and increased freedom from nausea (OR = 1.361, 95% CI = 1.196-1.548, I2 = 0%) compared to a placebo.
Conclusions:
CGRP receptor antagonists are effective for acute migraine treatment and are expected to be used clinically as emerging therapeutic agents.
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