Management of chronic tension-type headache with tricyclic antidepressant medication, stress management therapy, and their combination: a randomized controlled trial

JAMA. 2001 May 2;285(17):2208-15. doi: 10.1001/jama.285.17.2208.

Abstract

Context: Chronic tension-type headaches are characterized by near-daily headaches and often are difficult to manage in primary practice. Behavioral and pharmacological therapies each appear modestly effective, but data are lacking on their separate and combined effects.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of behavioral and pharmacological therapies, singly and combined, for chronic tension-type headaches.

Design and setting: Randomized placebo-controlled trial conducted from August 1995 to January 1998 at 2 outpatient sites in Ohio.

Participants: Two hundred three adults (mean age, 37 years; 76% women) with diagnosis of chronic tension-type headaches (mean, 26 headache d/mo).

Interventions: Participants were randomly assigned to receive tricyclic antidepressant (amitriptyline hydrochloride, up to 100 mg/d, or nortriptyline hydrochloride, up to 75 mg/d) medication (n = 53), placebo (n = 48), stress management (eg, relaxation, cognitive coping) therapy (3 sessions and 2 telephone contacts) plus placebo (n = 49), or stress management therapy plus antidepressant medication (n = 53).

Main outcome measures: Monthly headache index scores calculated as the mean of pain ratings (0-10 scale) recorded by participants in a daily diary 4 times per day; number of days per month with at least moderate pain (pain rating >/=5), analgesic medication use, and Headache Disability Inventory scores, compared by intervention group.

Results: Tricyclic antidepressant medication and stress management therapy each produced larger reductions in headache activity, analgesic medication use, and headache-related disability than placebo, but antidepressant medication yielded more rapid improvements in headache activity. Combined therapy was more likely to produce clinically significant (>/=50%) reductions in headache index scores (64% of participants) than antidepressant medication (38% of participants; P =.006), stress management therapy (35%; P =.003), or placebo (29%; P =.001). On other measures the combined therapy and its 2 component therapies produced similar outcomes.

Conclusions: Our results indicate that antidepressant medication and stress management therapy are each modestly effective in treating chronic tension-type headaches. Combined therapy may improve outcome relative to monotherapy.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amitriptyline / therapeutic use
  • Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / therapeutic use*
  • Behavior Therapy*
  • Chronic Disease
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nortriptyline / therapeutic use
  • Relaxation Therapy
  • Stress, Psychological / prevention & control
  • Tension-Type Headache / therapy*

Substances

  • Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic
  • Amitriptyline
  • Nortriptyline