Migraine prevention in children and adolescents: results of an open study with a special butterbur root extract.
Pothmann R, Danesch U.
Klinikum Heidberg, Zentrum fur Kinderschmerztherapie, Hamburg, Germany.
29 children, 6 to 9 years old, and 79 adolescents, 10 to 17 years old with severe migraine were treated with butterbur for four months in a multicenter setting. The dosing depended on the age of the patients and ranged from 25 mg to 150 mg of the special butterbur extract. The treatment resulted in a decrease of attack frequency from 9,4 attacks (6-9 years) and 9,7 attacks (10-17 years) at the beginning of the study to 4,0 attacks (6-9 years) and 5,8 attacks (10-17 years) after treatment. Altogether, 85,7% of the children and 74,1% of the adolescents had reduced their migraine attacks by at least 50%. 10% of adolescents have periodic migraines - often misdiagnosed. No triptan has FDA approval for treatment of children or adolescents. Each clinical trial demonstrates that the special butterbur extract could significantly reduce migraine attacks. Also, more than two thirds of all patients experienced a reduction of migraine attacks of 50% or greater. |
