Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40563717›Full record

ArticleBrain sciences2025

Still Relevant, Still Effective: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study on Real-Life Use of Flunarizine in Episodic Migraine.

Devrimsel Harika Ertem, Faik Ilik, Mustafa Kemal Ilik

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Brain sciences, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Devrimsel Harika ErtemDepartment of Neurology, Silivri Anatolian Hospital, 34570 Istanbul, Türkiye.
Faik IlikDepartment of Neurology, Medova Hospital Affiliated with Medical Faculty, KTO Karatay University, 42208 Konya, Türkiye.
Mustafa Kemal IlikDepartment of Neurosurgery, Buyuksehir Hospital, 42060 Konya, Türkiye.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimNew disease-specific and mechanism-based treatments for migraine that share good evidence of efficacy have recently been introduced. However, due to reimbursement problems with insurance companies and high costs, classical anti-migraine drugs continue to be used. The objective of this study was to assess the clinical efficacy and tolerability of flunarizine for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine without aura in a Turkish cohort, concentrating on alterations in headache frequency, pain intensity, and migraine-related disability as measured by MIDAS scores within a practical clinical environment.

methodsClinical and demographic data of 243 patients with episodic migraine without aura (175 females, 68 males; mean age 33.9 years) were evaluated. Headache frequency, side effects of flunarizine, pain intensity, and MIDAS scores were recorded during initial and 3-month follow-up periods.

resultsAfter three months of flunarizine treatment, significant improvements were observed in headache parameters. The mean Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) score, the mean MIDAS score, and the monthly migraine attack frequency declined significantly (all

conclusionOur results demonstrated that flunarizine had considerable short-term efficacy in decreasing the frequency of migraine attacks, alleviating headache severity, and reducing migraine-related disability among patients experiencing episodic migraine without aura. Although mild to moderate side effects were fairly prevalent, especially in older individuals, they did not compromise the effectiveness of the treatment. Notably, early adverse events occurring within the first two weeks resulted in treatment discontinuation for some patients, highlighting the necessity for vigilant monitoring during the initial phase of treatment.

Indexed as

flunarizineheadachemigraineobservational studypreventive treatmentprophylaxis

Identifiers

PMID40563717
PMCPMC12190774

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.