IV valproate inferior for acute migraine

Friedman BW, Garber L, Yoon A, et al.  Randomized trial of iv valproate vs.metoclopramide v. ketorolac for acute migraine.  Neurology 2014; 82:976-983.

 

Authors randomized 330 patients in ER to get 1000 mg, 10 mg, or 30 mg of respective drugs above over an iv drip over 15 minutes in a double blind trial.  On the primary measure of pain relief, valproate lost big to the other two drugs.  On secondary measures of needing a rescue medication, iv valproate also lost.

 

Comment-- great to have this knowledge but the two winning drugs each had relatively low sustained headache relief, 4 v. 11 v. 16 % with respective drugs above.  Also metoclopramide made people feel restless.