Key clinical point: Propranolol appears more effective in reducing temporomandibular disorder (TMD) pain among migraineurs, with more of the effect mediated by reduced heart rate than by decreased headache impact.
Major finding: Efficacy of propranolol for at least 30% reduction in facial pain index at week 9 was higher among 104 migraineurs (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.3; P = .009; P for treatment group interaction = .139) than 95 non-migraineurs ( aOR, 1.3; P = .631; P for treatment group interaction = .139). Only 9% of the treatment effect was mediated by reduced headache, whereas 46% was mediated by reduced heart rate.
Study details: Data come from SOPPRANO, a phase 2b randomized controlled trial that investigated analgesic efficacy of propranolol in 200 patients with chronic myogenous TMD randomly allocated to either propranolol or placebo.
Disclosures: The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest.
Source: Tchivileva IE et al. Cephalalgia. 2021 Feb 9. doi: 10.1177/0333102421989268 .