Summary of results A: pain‐free and headache relief
	Studies	Attacks treated	Treatment (%)	Placebo or comparator (%)	Relative benefit (95% CI)	NNT (95% CI)	P for difference
Pain‐free at 2 hours
Zolmitriptan 1 mg (all formulations) versus placebo	4	1200	22	8	2.7 (2.0 to 3.7)	7.1 (5.5 to 9.9)
Zolmitriptan 1 mg oral versus placebo	3	384	15	8	1.9 (1.1 to 3.3)	14 (7.4 to 170)	1 mg oral vs 2.5 mg oral z = 3.933, P = 0.001
Zolmitriptan 2.5 mg (all formulations) versus placebo	12	5825	30	10	3.0 (2.6 to 3.5)	5.1 (4.7 to 5.7)
Zolmitriptan 2.5 mg oral versus placebo	11	5223	30	10	3.0 (2.6 to 3.5)	5.0 (4.5 to 5.6)
Zolmitriptan 5 mg (all formulations) versus placebo	11	9372	33	11	3.0 (2.7 to 3.2)	4.7 (4.4 to 5.1)
Zolmitriptan 5 mg oral versus placebo	8	4277	31	10	3.2 (2.7 to 3.7)	4.8 (4.3 to 5.4)	5 mg oral versus 5 mg nasal z = 0.53, P = 0.10
Zolmitriptan 5 mg nasal spray versus placebo	3	5095	34	12	2.8 (2.5 to 3.2)	4.6 (4.2 to 5.2)
Zolmitriptan 10 mg oral versus placebo	2	648	37	5	7.8 (4.2 to 14)	3.1 (2.7 to 3.7)	10 mg oral versus 5 mg oral z = 3.882, P = 0.0001
Headache relief at 2 hours
Zolmitriptan 1 mg (all formulations) versus placebo	4	861	55	31	1.8 (1.5 to 2.1)	4.3 (3.3 to 5.9)
Zolmitriptan 1 mg oral versus placebo	3	399	50	32	1.6 (1.2 to 2.0)	5.6 (3.7 to 12)	1 mg oral versus 2.5 mg oral z = 2.657, P = 0.008
Zolmitriptan 2.5 mg (all formulations) versus placebo	11	4904	60	29	2.1 (1.9 to 2.2)	3.3 (3.0 to 3.6)
Zolmitriptan 2.5 mg oral versus placebo	10	4567	61	29	2.1 (1.9 to 2.2)	3.2 (3.0 to 3.5)
Zolmitriptan 5 mg (all formulations) versus placebo	11	7456	63	32	2.0 (1.9 to 2.1)	3.2 (3.0 to 3.5)
Zolmitriptan 5 mg oral versus placebo	8	4292	59	30	1.9 (1.8 to 2.1)	3.5 (3.2 to 3.9)	5 mg oral versus 5 mg nasal z = 2.746, P = 0.006
Zolmitriptan 5 mg nasal spray versus placebo	3	3164	68	33	2.1 (1.9 to 2.2)	2.9 (2.6 to 3.2)
Zolmitriptan 10 mg oral versus placebo	2	648	69	28	2.5 (2.0 to 3.1)	2.4 (2.1 to 3.0)	10 mg oral versus 5 mg oral z = 2.987, P = 0.003
Zolmitriptan 2.5 mg versus sumatriptan 50 mg (oral)	2	1609	66	68	0.96 (0.90 to 1.0)	not calculated
Zolmitriptan 5 mg versus sumatriptan 50 mg (oral)	2	1633	67	68	0.98 (0.92 to 1.1)	not calculated
Headache relief at 1 hour
Zolmitriptan 5 mg oral versus placebo	7	3584	39	22	1.8 (1.6 to 2.1)	6.1 (5.2 to 7.5)	5 mg oral versus 5 mg nasal z = 3.284, P = 0.001
Zolmitriptan 5 mg nasal spray versus placebo	2	2684	56	32	1.8 (1.6 to 1.9)	4.1 (3.6 to 4.9)
Sustained pain‐free during the 24 hours post dose
Zolmitriptan 2.5 mg oral versus placebo	2	984	19	6	3.5 (2.1 to 5.8)	7.7 (5.9 to 11)
Zolmitriptan 5 mg (all formulations) versus placebo	3	4991	14	4	4.7 (3.6 to 5.9)	9.3 (8.1 to 11)
Zolmitriptan 5 mg nasal spray versus placebo	2	4298	13	3	4.9 (3.7 to 6.5)	9.6 (8.3 to 11)
Sustained headache relief during the 24 hours post dose
Zolmitriptan 2.5 mg (all formulations) versus placebo	4	2059	39	14	2.9 (2.4 to 3.6)	4.0 (3.5 to 4.7)
Zolmitriptan 2.5 mg oral versus placebo	4	1457	38	14	2.9 (2.2 to 3.7)	4.1 (3.5 to 5.0)
Zolmitriptan 5 mg (all formulations) versus placebo	7	7106	37	12	3.2 (2.9 to 3.5)	3.9 (3.6 to 4.2)
Zolmitriptan 5 mg oral versus placebo	5	2827	37	15	2.4 (2.0 to 2.8)	4.6 (4.0 to 5.3)	5 mg oral versus 5 mg nasal z = 2.076, P = 0.038
Zolmitriptan 5 mg nasal spray versus placebo	2	4279	38	9	4.0 (3.4 to 4.6)	3.6 (3.3 to 3.9)