Migraine abortive treatment in children and adolescents in Israel

Migraine headaches in children may cause attacks that require abortive treatment. This study evaluated the incidence and efficacy of medications used for relieving migraine headache attacks in the pediatric population in Israel. Children 6-18 years of age who were diagnosed in our pediatric neurology clinic as having migraine headaches were enrolled into the study. Children and their parents recorded the children response to abortive treatment during consecutive migraine attacks. Fifty children, with 116 migraine attacks, were included in the study (30 females; mean age 12; range 6-18). Forty-seven (94%) reported on abortive treatment on the first migraine attack, 43 (86%) on a second migraine attack and 26 (52%) on a third migraine attack. During the first recorded migraine attack, 41 children (87.5%) reported taking only one type of medication for each headache episode, mainly ibuprofen or acetaminophen; less than a quarter used dipyrone (metamizol). Overall the improvement rate after two hours was 65.4% ± 27 for ibuprofen, 59.8 ± 35.3 for acetaminophen and 50.9 ± 27.4 for dipyrone without statistical difference. However, in the first recorded headache episode, males had a significantly better response to acetaminophen, compared to ibuprofen (95% ± 28 vs 75 ± 20). In conclusion, Children with migraine in Israel mainly use a single medication for each headache episode. Ibuprofen is the most commonly used abortive treatment; however, acetaminophen was associated with a better response among some of our patients.