Double-blind Crossover Pilot Study Research Articles

Atypical facial pain: A double-blind placebo-controlled crossover pilot study of subcutaneous sumatriptan.

A double-blind placebo-controlled crossover pilot study involving 19 patients was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of subcutaneous sumatriptan, a selective 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-like receptor agonist, in the treatment of atypical facial pain (AFP). A reduction in total pain was found 120 min post injection in the sumatriptan group. Most patients, however, described the medication as ineffective overall, despite significant pain score reduction. The temporary improvement of pain scores with the active drug was thought to be too small to be of any clinical benefit, but suggests that vascular or neurogenic mechanisms may be involved in the aetiology of AFP. Sumatriptan is not an appropriate therapeutic option for patients with AFP, but could prove a valuable drug in experimental clinical pharmacology.

Amitriptyline in Children with Major Depressive Disorder: A Double-Blind Crossover Pilot Study

This study reports the effect of amitriptyline and placebo in nine prepubertal depressed children in a double-blind crossover design. The children were assigned randomly to placebo or amitriptyline for 4 weeks and then were switched to the other. Results indicate that amitriptyline may have a place in the treatment of childhood depression.

Oral choline in cerebellar ataxia.

In a double-blind crossover pilot study with placebo, choline chloride, the physiologic precursor of acetylcholine, was tested in six patients with cerebellar ataxia. Neither subjectively nor objectively could any statistical significant difference be demonstrated.