Comparing efficacy and safety of sodium valproate with propranolol in paediatric migraine prophylaxis

Abstract

Migraine is a common disorder of the paediatric age group. Propranolol has been used in prophylaxis for migraine. The use of Sodium valproate in the prophylaxis of migraine is not known. It is postulated that it increases the level of GABA in the brain that will decrease events related to migraine in the cortex. All parents of the patient were advised to keep diaries for noting time, date, severity and duration of headache during the study period, which was for a period of 6 wks. The decreased frequency of headache more than in Group A was 68% and propranolol group was 68.89%. In group A(sodium valproate), patients showed a reduction in headache duration and 52% in Group B. 20% of them headache free in Group A and 18% in Group B. Decrease in the severity of headache in Group A was 52% while 50% in Group B. The mean headache frequency before and after treatment was reduced from 8 to 2.5 attacks per month in group A and from 8.2 to 2.6 in group B. The t-value is 11 for group A. Sodium valproate is more effective and safer in migraine prophylaxis as compared with propranolol.