Current Clinical Trials for Headache, Migraine & Cluster Headache

NIH’s clinical trials database is brimming with clinical trials for headache disorders. There are currently 110 headache, 65 migraine and five cluster headache studies either actively recruiting or will do so soon.

Topics include:

• PFO closure — To see if closing a hole in the heart can reduce or eliminate migraines for migraineurs with aura
• fMRI — Brain imaging that shows active areas in the brain when a person is it pain and may help patients control pain
• Emergency room treatment — Always a hot topic for headache sufferers, these studies seek to improve the ER experience for patients
• Botox — Does Botox reduce the frequency of headaches for people with frequent migraine?
• Sumatriptan for cluster headache — Testing different doses and drug delivery methods of the generic form of Imitrex
• Occipital nerve stimulation — What more do you want to know?
• Nerve blocks — Are they effective for prolonged migraine?

And there are many, many more. Many are for drugs, but others have minimal risks.You can search by which phase trails are in, I, II and III. The website breaks down how the trials differ:

• In Phase I clinical trials, researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people (20-80) for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
• In Phase II clinical trials, the study drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people (100-300) to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
• In Phase III studies, the study drug or treatment is given to large groups of people (1,000-3,000) to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.

To learn more about clinical trials and for definitions, stay tuned for tomorrow’s post.