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Single-blind, randomized, pilot study combining shiatsu and amitriptyline in refractory primary headaches

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Abstract

Complementary alternative medicine, such as shiatsu, can represent a suitable treatment for primary headaches. However, evidence-based data about the effect of combining shiatsu and pharmacological treatments are still not available. Therefore, we tested the efficacy and safety of combining shiatsu and amitriptyline to treat refractory primary headaches in a single-blind, randomized, pilot study. Subjects with a diagnosis of primary headache and who experienced lack of response to ≥2 different prophylactic drugs were randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive shiatsu plus amitriptyline, shiatsu alone, or amitriptyline alone for 3 months. Primary endpoint was the proportion of patients experiencing ≥50%-reduction in headache days. Secondary endpoints were days with headache per month, visual analogue scale, and number of pain killers taken per month. After randomization, 37 subjects were allocated to shiatsu plus amitriptyline (n = 11), shiatsu alone (n = 13), and amitriptyline alone (n = 13). Randomization ensured well-balanced demographic and clinical characteristics at baseline. Although all the three groups improved in terms of headache frequency, visual analogue scale score, and number of pain killers (p < 0.05), there was no between-group difference in primary endpoint (p = ns). Shiatsu (alone or in combination) was superior to amitriptyline in reducing the number of pain killers taken per month (p < 0.05). Seven (19%) subjects reported adverse events, all attributable to amitriptyline, while no side effects were related with shiatsu treatment. Shiatsu is a safe and potentially useful alternative approach for refractory headache. However, there is no evidence of an additive or synergistic effect of combining shiatsu and amitriptyline. These findings are only preliminary and should be interpreted cautiously due to the small sample size of the population included in our study.

Trial registration 81/2010 (Ethical Committee, S. Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy).

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to express gratitude to the patients involved in this study and their families.

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Correspondence to Veronica Villani.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Financial disclosures (not related to the present study)

VV, FP, SLS, FO has nothing to disclose. LP has received consulting and/or lecture fees and/or travel grant from Biogen, Genzyme, Novartis and Teva. GS has received consulting fees from Lusofarmaco.

Funding

This research was carried out using information collected during normal patient care, and extra time spent in data analysis and interpretation was part of educational programmes within the University; no external source of funding was required.

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Villani, V., Prosperini, L., Palombini, F. et al. Single-blind, randomized, pilot study combining shiatsu and amitriptyline in refractory primary headaches. Neurol Sci 38, 999–1007 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-017-2888-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-017-2888-7

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