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Butterbur root extract and music therapy in the prevention of childhood migraine: An explorative study
Author(s) -
OelkersAx Rieke,
Leins Anne,
Parzer Peter,
Hillecke Thomas,
Bolay Hans V.,
Fischer Jochen,
Bender Stephan,
Hermanns Uta,
Resch Franz
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
european journal of pain
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.305
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1532-2149
pISSN - 1090-3801
DOI - 10.1016/j.ejpain.2007.06.003
Subject(s) - placebo , migraine , medicine , music therapy , randomized controlled trial , physical therapy , alternative medicine , pathology
Background: Migraine is very common in school‐aged children, but despite a number of pharmacological and non‐pharmacological options for prophylaxis, randomized controlled evidence in children is small. Evidence‐based prophylactic drugs may have considerable side effects. Objective: This study was to assess efficacy of a butterbur root extract (Petadolex®) and music therapy in primary school children with migraine. Design: Prospective, randomized, partly double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, parallel‐group trial. Methods: Following a 8‐week baseline patients were randomized and received either butterbur root extract ( n =19), music therapy ( n =20) or placebo ( n =19) over 12 weeks. All participants received additionally headache education (“treatment as usual”) from the baseline onwards. Reduction of headache frequency after treatment (8‐week post‐treatment) as well as 6 months later (8‐week follow‐up) was the efficacy variable. Results: Data analysis of subjects completing the respective study phase showed that during post‐treatment, only music therapy was superior to placebo ( p =0.005), whereas in the follow‐up period both music therapy and butterbur root extract were superior to placebo ( p =0.018 and p =0.044, respectively). All groups showed a substantial reduction of attack frequency already during baseline. Conclusion: Butterbur root extract and music therapy might be superior to placebo and may represent promising treatment approaches in the prophylaxis of paediatric migraine.