A Comparison between Sodium Valproate and Fluoxetine in Patients with Migraine Headaches and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Migraine is one of the most common causes of headache characterize by pulsatile headache. Most patients with migraine experience chronic fatigue syndrome. This syndrome includes chronic fatigue for at least 6 months with neurological symptoms and muscular pain. One of the first line agents in migraine treatment is sodium valproate. In addition, usage of fluoxetine as a prophylactic treatment of migraine has been effective in recent researches. In this research, a comparison between sodium valproate and fluoxetine in treatment of patients with migraine and chronic fatigue syndrome was done.
In this clinical trial study, 64 patients with migraine and chronic fatigue syndrome were enrolled. They were divided into two equal groups of 32 participants. Each group took one of the fluoxetine (20 mg daily) or sodium valproate (400 mg daily) for 8 weeks. The groups were compared in aspect of intensity score and frequency of headaches. Student's t and ANOVA statistical tests were used to analysis the results.
Findings: The mean headache intensity score decreased in both sodium valproate and fluoxetine groups by 34.83% and 22.82%, respectively. In addition, the mean headache frequency decreased in both fluoxetine and sodium valproate groups by 23.68% and 40.54%, respectively.
It could be understood that both sodium valproate and fluoxetine are effective in treatment of migraine with history of chronic fatigue syndrome, yet sodium valproate was more effective. The effectiveness of fluoxetine was obvious in patients with depression history.