Onabotulinumtoxin A for chronic migraine with medication overuse: clinical results of a long-term treatment

Is prednisone still a reasonable option in the treatment of withdrawal headache in patients with chronic migraine and medication overuse headache in the age of CGRP antibodies? A narrative review

OBJECTIVE

Along with the development of novel migraine therapies as the monoclonal antibodies against calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and its receptor, the question arises if the treatment of chronic migraine (CM) and medication overuse headache (MOH) must be reconsidered. Have previous therapeutic approaches, including glucocorticoids, lost their role in the management of this debilitating disorder? In this narrative review, we present an overview of the available treatment options in CM and MOH in light of CGRP antibodies as well as an evaluation of the role of glucocorticoids in withdrawal therapy.

BACKGROUND

Chronic migraine and medication overuse continues to be a difficult to treat condition. To date, potent treatment options are scarce and algorithms for advising patients with MOH are often still based on expert consensus rather than evidence-based medicine. For years and probably due to lack of effective alternatives, glucocorticoids have been used in MOH, especially to alleviate withdrawal symptoms caused by detoxification. Small case series report positive effects of steroids in this respective patient group; however, randomized controlled trials did not show a consistent benefit, although this may be due to methodological limitations. Because of these discrepancies, their role in MOH has been under debate ever since.

METHODS

We searched the electronic database PubMed for articles up to June 1, 2022 on the use of glucocorticoids in CM and MOH.

CONCLUSION

Despite popular use in clinical practice, there is currently still no scientific evidence for the efficacy of glucocorticoids in patients with CM and MOH. Treatment with monoclonal antibodies achieved high transition rates from medication overuse to non-overuse. However, further research is needed to evaluate the additional benefit of these new agents.

Impacts of the preempt protocol on chronic migraine: an integrative review

Chronic migraine is an important cause of functional disability and quality of life deficits, affecting 12% of the world population. Therefore, more treatment alternatives that promote better pain control are needed. So, botulinum toxin type A presents itself as a therapeutic option for this purpose. This integrative review aimed to analyze the functionality of the PREEMPT protocol applied for the treatment of chronic migraine, analyzing the time of pain control, the frequency of repetition of the treatment and the possible subtypes of pain that benefit most from botulinum toxin. Data were collected from the National Library of Medicine and Lilacs databases, and the research concluded in July 2022. 31 articles were found, of which only 22 publications were considered eligible to compose this study, and those that contemplated the research objectives were selected. above. Botulinum toxin type A presents an effective, safe and well-tolerated preventive profile for patients with chronic migraine, increasing the patient's quality of life and works in pain control.

Botox (OnabotulinumtoxinA) for Treatment of Migraine Symptoms: A Systematic Review

Background. Migraine is one of the most common types of headache, and it is the second most common cause of neurological disorders, with an annual prevalence of about 15% of the population. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of BoNT-A on the duration and intensity of migraine attacks. In addition, we investigated the effective injection sites. Methods. According to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, we searched online databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Google Scholar from 2011 to 2021. Results. A total of 24 articles were included in the study. The use of BoNT-A in individuals suffering from chronic migraine (CM) decreases the frequency of migraine attacks per month, pain intensity, medication use, emergency visits, and migraine-related disabilities. The BoNT-A was well tolerated and leads to improved performance and better quality of life (QoL). Overall, treatment with BoNT-A in adults with CM is beneficial. In addition, the use of BoNT-A in individuals with vestibular migraine (VM) reduces the frequency of migraines and brings about the improvement of disability status caused by migraine headaches. Meanwhile, the use of BoNT-A reduces the frequency of migraine attacks per month among individuals with chronic refractory migraine (CRM). Conclusions. The use of BoNT-A is a low-cost option for the treatment of various kinds of migraines, including chronic, episodic, unilateral, and vestibular types. BoNT-A can reduce the frequency of migraine attacks per month and diminish the severity of pain.

What is changing in chronic migraine treatment? An algorithm for onabotulinumtoxinA treatment by the Italian chronic migraine group

INTRODUCTION

OnabotulinumtoxinA (OBT-A) and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) pathway are two of the few treatments that ameliorate chronic migraine (CM) in randomized controlled trials and real-life studies. Separate clinical practice guidelines have been developed for the management of CM with OBT-A or CGRP-targeting mAbs.

AREAS COVERED

Considering the concomitant availability of OBT-A and CGRP-targeting mAbs as therapeutic treatment options, Italian migraine experts reviewed the evidence supporting the efficacy of OBT-A and CGRP-targeting mAbs in CM in order to rationalize the management of CM patients treated with OBT-A. Experts addressed everyday practice needs to shape the optimal pharmacological management by balancing adherence to regulatory indications, ethical considerations, and clinical expertise. Considering the remarkable challenge of improving the health and quality of life of patients with CM, even partial improvements may be clinically meaningful, particularly for those who are resistant or intolerant to oral migraine treatments.

EXPERT OPINION

In this collaborative effort, we propose a treatment algorithm that integrates the relevant aspects of managing patients with CM to provide ready-to-use practical guidance regarding the appropriate use of OBT-A.

Optimizing the long-term management of chronic migraine with onabotulinumtoxinA in real life

INTRODUCTION

Management of chronic migraine is challenging. OnabotulinumtoxinA (OBT-A) is the only medication licensed for prevention of chronic migraine, and has been widely adopted in clinical practice. Limited data is available on its long-term use. Areas covered: Data from controlled trials are combined with available data on the long-term use of OBT-A in real-life studies, with information obtained in a recent survey among Italian headache centers, and the clinical experience of the authors. Six areas were identified as relevant to patients with chronic migraine: 1) definition of responders to OBT-A; 2) management of responders to OBT-A; 3) optimal timing of prophylaxis with OBT-A; 4) position of OBT-A in prevention of chronic migraine; 5) management of medication overuse, and 6) patient education. Expert commentary: This review provides an update on the latest evidence regarding the long-term use of OBT-A in chronic migraine and analyzes the critical issues in the decision-making process that emerge from the analysis of the literature and routine practice. A treatment algorithm is proposed for the adoption in the daily practice.

Onabotulinum toxin A in the treatment of chronic migraine: patient selection and special considerations

Discovered by serendipity, onabotulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) is the only US Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment for the prevention of chronic migraine (CM), one of the most disabling and burdensome human conditions. Its efficacy, safety and tolerability, proved by the largest and longest migraine therapeutic trial (the Phase III Research Evaluating Migraine Prophylaxis Therapy program [PREEMPT]), have been replicated by various real-life studies also in the presence of medication overuse. The benefit of BoNT-A prophylaxis is likely due to its ability to counteract peripheral and central nociceptive sensitization through reversible chemical denervation of pericranial sensitive afferents. Its efficacy increases considerably over time during long-term treatments, significantly varying among patients. The present review focuses on the state-of-the art of current knowledge on putative instrumental, biochemical and clinical predictors of BoNT-A responsiveness, outlining the need for a thorough characterization of the full phenotypic migraine picture when trying to predict good responders. Available evidence suggests that disentangling the BoNT-A responsiveness puzzle requires 1) a reappraisal of easy-obtainable clinical details (eg, site and quality of pain, presence of cranial autonomic symptoms), 2) a proper stratification of patients with CM according to their headache frequency, 3) the evaluation of potential synergistic effects of concomitant prophylaxis/treatment and 4) a detailed assessment of modifiable risk factors evolution during treatment.