Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria (Nov 2014)

Amitriptyline and aerobic exercise or amitriptyline alone in the treatment of chronic migraine: a randomized comparative study

  • Michelle Dias Santos Santiago,
  • Deusvenir de Souza Carvalho,
  • Alberto Alain Gabbai,
  • Mariana Machado Pereira Pinto,
  • Andrea Regina Correa Moutran,
  • Thais Rodrigues Villa

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/0004-282X20140148
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 72, no. 11
pp. 851 – 855

Abstract

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To compare the preventive treatment benefits of amitriptyline and aerobic exercise or amitriptyline alone in patients with chronic migraine. Method Sixty patients, both genders, aged between 18 and 50 years, with a diagnosis of chronic migraine, were randomized in groups called amitriptyline and aerobic exercise or amitriptyline alone. The following parameters were evaluated: headache frequency, intensity and duration of headache, days of the analgesic medication use, body mass index (BMI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) scores. Results In the evaluated parameters, was observed decrease in headache frequency (p=0.001), moderate intensity (p=0.048), in headache duration (p=0.001), the body mass index (p=0.001), Beck Depression Inventory (p=0.001) and Beck Anxiety Inventory scores (p=0.001), when groups were compared in the end of third month. Conclusion In this study, the amitriptyline was an effective treatment for chronic migraine, but its efficacy was increased when combined with aerobic exercise.

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