1
Clinical Correspondence
Dramatic Response to Nebivolol in an Adult Case of Cyclic
Vomiting Syndrome
Sylvain Redon, MD ; Anne Donnet, MD, PhD
Key words: cyclic vomiting syndrome, beta-blockers, nebivolol, propranolol
(Headache 2019;0:1-2)
Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is an episodic
syndrome associated with migraine, characterized by
stereotypical attacks of intense nausea and vomiting,
recurring with a predictable periodicity. Preventive
treatment should be considered if attacks are frequent
and refractory to attack treatment. Retrospective stud-
ies showed benefit using tricyclic antidepressants, an-
tiepileptics (zonisamide, levetiracetam, topiramate), or
β-blockers (propranolol).
1
In adult, no controlled trials
are available. A case report showed efficacy of nebivolol
in addition to amitriptyline in an 18-year-old girl with
CVS.
2
We report for the first time a near-resolution
of adult CVS with nebivolol in monotherapy.
A 58-year-old woman with a history of thy-
roid carcinoma and hepatic metastasis treated 10
years ago reported episodes of intense nausea and
vomiting, from the age of 40. She had no personal
history of migraine but her brother had migraine.
The attacks were stereotypical, with a predictable
periodicity, from 6 months during the first years to
1 month for the last 3 years. Without any apparent
reason, the episodes were more frequent in the months
previous her admission at headache center (2 attacks
per month). The attacks began during sleep at night,
typically on the weekend, with a mean duration of
48 hours. During prodromal phase (previous day),
she reported intense tiredness. Concentration diffi-
culties, photophobia and vertigo were also reported
during emetic phase. No headache was reported. The
resolution was complete between episodes. A brain
MRI was normal. Digestive investigations (abdomi-
nal computed tomography scan, upper gastrointesti-
nal endoscopy, colonoscopy) didn’t show any lesion
responsible for CVS. The high intensity of vomiting
was responsible for multiple hospitalizations with
intravenous hydration. Antiemetics or sumatriptan
were ineffective as attack treatment. An association
with Amitriptyline (5 mg/day), coenzyme Q10 and
L-carnitine during 2 months was not effective on
attack frequency. Higher dosage of amitriptyline
was not tolerated. Propranolol (10 mg/day) was tried
during 6 weeks but was not tolerated. Two CVS attacks
Headache doi: 10.1111/head.13619
© 2019 American Headache Society Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ISSN 0017-8748
Conflict of Interest: Dr Redon reports no disclosure. Dr Donnet
reports disclosure with Allergan, Almirall SAS, Astellas,
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, Grunenthal, Lilly, MSD, Orkyn,
Pfizer, Saint-Jude, Sanofi-Aventis, Teva, Zambon.
From the Department of Evaluation and Treatment of Pain,
FHU INOVPAIN, CHU Timone, AP-HM, Marseille, France
(S. Redon and A. Donnet); INSERM U-1107, CHU de Clermont-
Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France (A. Donnet).
Address all correspondence to S. Redon, Department of Evaluation
and Treatment of Pain, FHU INOVPAIN, CHU Timone, AP-HM,
Marseille, France, email: sylvain.redon@ap-hm.fr
Accepted for publication July 18, 2019.