The effectiveness of combined oral lysine acetylsalicylate and metoclopramide compared with oral sumatriptan for migraine

Aspirin is commonly used to treat migraine attacks, although sumatriptan, a much more expensive treatment, is also effective. We compared a combination of lysine acetylsalicylate (equivalent to 900 mg aspirin) and 10 mg metoclopramide (LAS+MTC) with oral sumatriptan (100 mg) and placebo in 421 patients with migraine. LAS+MTC was as effective as sumatriptan with a decrease of headache from severe or moderate to mild or none of 57% and 53%, respectively, for the first migraine attack treated. Both treatments were better than placebo (success rate 24%, p<0·0001). LAS+MTC was significantly more effective in the treatment of nausea than sumatriptan (p<0·0001) and was better tolerated (adverse events in 18% and 28%, respectively, p<0·05). LAS+MTC is as effective as sumatriptan in the treatment of migraine attacks. It is also much cheaper.