Skip to main content
. 2012 Feb 15;2012(2):CD009665. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009665

Cady 1991.

Methods Multicentre, randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, parallel‐group
Single dose to treat single attack, with the option of a second randomised dose of study medication or placebo if pain relief was inadequate at 1 h
Medication administered when migraine headache pain was of moderate or severe intensity
Assessments at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after dosing
Rescue medication available at the discretion of the investigator if migraine persisted 1 h after second dose of study medication
2 separate identical trials
Participants Aged 18 years or over, meeting IHS criteria for migraine (1988) with or without aura. At least 1‐year history of migraine (untreated severity ≥ moderate).
Participants excluded if previously treated with sumatriptan.
Long‐term prophylactic medications for migraine allowed. No opioids or ergotamine within 24 h, or simple analgesics within 6 h of taking study medication.
Study 1
N = 574
M 73, F 501 (87%)
Mean age 40 years
Proportion with/without aura not reported
Study 2
N = 530
M 53, F 477 (90%)
Mean age 39 years
Proportion with/without aura not reported
Interventions Study 1
Sumatriptan 6 mg, n = 384
Placebo, n = 190
Study 2
Sumatriptan 6 mg, n = 350
Placebo, n = 180
Outcomes All outcomes reported as pooled results from the 2 studies (Study 1 and Study 2)
Headache relief (at 1 h) and 2 h (1 h after optional 2nd dose)
Pain‐free (at 1 h)
Improvement in nausea and photophobia at 1 h
Improvement in functional disability at 1 h
Adverse events
Withdrawals
Notes Oxford Quality Score: R1, DB1, W1. Total = 3.
Risk of bias
Bias Authors' judgement Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias) Unclear risk Not reported
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Low risk Allocation based on chronological order that patients presented for treatment
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) 
 All outcomes Unclear risk Not reported
Study size Low risk Treatment groups > 200 participants