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Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide evokes only a minimal headache in healthy volunteers
Plain-language guide to PMID 16886936 (2006): double-blind randomized controlled trial study of VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide) in 12 volunteers.
Key Facts
- PMID
- 16886936
- Journal
- Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache
- Year
- 2006
- Study type
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Authors
- Hansen JM et al. (8 authors)
- DOI
- 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2006.01149.x
What This Study Did, in Plain Language
What Was Tested
The paper reports a study of VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide), published as a randomized controlled trial.
The role of the parasympathetic nervous system in the pathogenesis of migraine is disputed.
The researchers hypothesized that infusion of VIP might induce headache in healthy subjects and cause changes in cerebral haemodynamics.
Who Took Part
The study group was 12 volunteers.
The age groups tagged for this paper are adults, both men and women.
How the Study Was Run
In design terms this was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover and pilot study.
The volunteers were allocated by chance, so the VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide) group and the comparison group should start out alike.
Blinding on both sides kept the volunteers and researchers unaware of who received VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide).
Some volunteers received a placebo instead of VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide), giving a reference point.
In the crossover set-up each of the volunteers took both VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide) and the comparison in turn, acting as their own control.
Headache was scored on a verbal rating scale from 0 to 10, regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured with single-photon emission computed tomography and (133)Xe inhalation and mean flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery (V(meanMCA)) was measured with transcranial Doppler ultrasonography.
What Was Measured
The headache was very mild with a maximum score of 2 and described as a pressing or throbbing sensation.
Topics PubMed links to this paper include Headache, Pain Measurement, Pilot Projects, Placebo Effect and Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide.
What This Means in Plain Language
The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide) in 12 volunteers.
With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.
The publication is from 2006 (Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache), a journal based in England.
More context: the VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide) compound page, all human trials.
Our Notes on the Compound
VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide): A 28-amino-acid neuropeptide that relaxes smooth muscle and calms immune activity; aviptadil is a synthetic form.
Related Pages
Source: PubMed record. This explanation is written by PeptideWhiz from the public record. For research and education only. Not medical advice; no dosing information is given.