Date of Award

2023

Degree Type

Selective Evidence-Based Medicine Review

Degree Name

Master of Science in Health Sciences - Physician Assistant

Department

Physician Assistant Studies

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine “Is Vitamin D an effective add-on Therapy for Decreasing Migraine Frequency in Adults”

Study Design: A review of two randomized controlled trials and a placebo-controlled double-blind study that were peer-reviewed and published in English after the year 2011.

Data Sources: All articles were obtained using PubMed, Alt HealthWatch, AMED and CINAHL Plus. Articles were selected based on their relevance to the topic, ability to answer the question posed, and having outcomes that were patient oriented.

Outcome measured: A change in migraine frequency using headache diaries and migraine questionnaires, is the outcome that was studied in all three of the articles.

Results: The first Ghorbani, Rafiee et al., article showed a reduction in the frequency of migraines with a mean change from baseline of 2.90 in the Vitamin D group in comparison to the placebo group (P <.05). The second Ghorbani, Togha et al., article also showed a reduction in the frequency of migraines with a mean change from baseline of 2.20 in the Vitamin D group in comparison with the placebo group (P<.05). The last article Rist, Buring et al., had an NNT=100 (P>.05), suggesting a small treatment effect, thus, no significant change of migraine frequency with the use of Vitamin D.

Conclusion: Two out of the three studies selected showed that there was a reduction in the frequency of migraines with the use of vitamin D supplementation. The VITAL study was the only study that suggested that vitamin D may not have a role in decreasing the frequency of migraines. Based on these results, vitamin D can be used as an effective add-on therapy in the treatment of migraine headaches.

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