A Research Study of Greater Occipital Nerve Block as a Treatment for Acute Migraine Attacks

Thomas Jefferson University

Status and phase: Withdrawn; Phase 4

Conditions: Migraine

Treatments: Drug: Saline; Combination Product: lidocaine/bupivacaine

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03159000

GON/WBY/003

Details and patient eligibility

About

Several observational studies have shown improvement in episodic migraine with the use of greater occipital nerve block as an acute therapy, and a recent placebo controlled trial did not show a decrease in frequency of episodic or chronic migraine; however, there has never been a placebo controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of GONB as an acute treatment for headache, and there has been no determination of guidelines for selection of patients who would be most likely to respond to GONB. In light of the above, the investigators propose a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial examining the use of GONB with lidocaine/bupivocaine in patients with an acute episodic migraine. The results of this trial are expected to guide more appropriate therapeutic management of these participants and the optimal use of this procedure. 50 subjects will be entered into this study. This study is being conducted at Thomas Jefferson University only.

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• between the ages of 18 and 80 years old (inclusive) with a previous diagnosis fulfilling the international classification of headache disorders (ICHD3b) criteria for episodic migraine, presenting to clinic with an acute episodic migraine reported as at least a moderate pain level not lasting longer than 7 days at the time of injection.

Exclusion criteria

• subjects who have received greater occipital nerve block (GONB) in the past, subjects who in their own or the investigator's opinion are unable to describe their symptoms, subjects who have are scheduled to receive injection of onabotulinum toxin A within 72 hours, subjects who are pregnant or lactating.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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0 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

GONB of lidocaine/bupivacaine

Experimental group

Description:

The injectors will infiltrate an area of 2cm along the occipital ridge centering around the occipital artery or around the site 1/3 from the mastoid to the inion bilaterally. The subject will remain in the office for 30 minutes after injection, and receive a questionnaire to be filled out at 10 and 30 minutes, and 2 and 24 hours post-injection. Subjects who are not improved after 2 hours will be allowed to use their abortive treatment.

Treatment:

Combination Product: lidocaine/bupivacaine

Placebo injection of 1/3 saline

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

The injectors will infiltrate an area of 2cm along the occipital ridge centering around the occipital artery or around the site 1/3 from the mastoid to the inion bilaterally. The subject will remain in the office for 30 minutes after injection, and receive a questionnaire to be filled out at 10 and 30 minutes, and 2 and 24 hours post-injection. Subjects who are not improved after 2 hours will be allowed to use their abortive treatment.

Treatment:

Drug: Saline