Current practice and future directions in the prevention and acute management of migraine

Interictal burden in migraine patients at the outset of CGRP monoclonal antibody prevention

BACKGROUND

The total burden of migraine includes not only the episodes with headache pain but extends throughout the interictal periods. Interictal symptoms and associated psychological responses may profoundly impact well-being and drive treatment-seeking behavior.

METHODS

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with participants aged ≥ 18 years, 250 with episodic migraine (EM) and 250 with chronic migraine (CM), having ≥ 4 monthly migraine headache days. All were naïve to galcanezumab or began ≤ 6 months before survey completion. The study evaluated factors associated with the Migraine Interictal Burden Scale (MIBS-4), including social determinants of health and well-being. Multiple linear regression, logistic regression, and random forests (RF) were used to explore predictors of MIBS-4.

RESULTS

The majority of participants (90%) were female with a mean (standard deviation) age of 40.6 (± 12.0) years and 18.1 (± 12.7) years since the first migraine episode. Sociodemographically, the EM and CM groups were similar. Common comorbidities were anxiety disorder (45%) and depression (44%). Migraine family history was reported in 59% of participants. MIBS-4 was correlated with a number of diverse variables, including well-being, anxiety sensitivity, income, aura symptoms, and the worst migraine pain in the year before starting galcanezumab. Linear and logistic regression identified years since the first symptom, worst migraine attack pain, premonitory symptoms, and income as significant predictors. RF explained more of the variance than multiple linear regression and introduced additional concepts to the prediction of MIBS, identifying well-being (WHO-5 total score), the WHO-5 item "cheerful and in good spirits," worry about exercise, and fear of missing social obligations as significant predictors. Socioeconomic status and income were also critical explanatory variables for interictal burden (IIB) based on regression modeling and RF. Still, income was the only variable significantly associated with IIB across regression and RF methods.

CONCLUSIONS

Interictal burden should be considered in the medical care of people with migraine. This additional burden is holistic, with psychosocial and socioeconomic elements in addition to residual symptoms. It is essential to consider this when assessing the impact of IIB.

Analysis of Acupoint Selection and Combinations in Acupuncture Treatment of Migraine: A Protocol for Data Mining

Background

Migraine is a prevalent neurological condition that causes significant disability and has a profound impact on sufferers' ability to work and their overall quality of life. The efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of migraines has been confirmed via extensive clinical research. However, because each acupoint generates various analgesic processes, and different acupuncture physicians select different acupoints, there is still uncertainty regarding the optimal acupoint selection.

Objective

Our purpose is to conduct the initial thorough data mining analysis to determine the optimal acupoint selection and combinations for the treatment of migraines.

Methods

We will conduct a search of eight electronic bibliographic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Chongqing VIP Database) from the inception of the databases to July 2024. Clinical trials that evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture therapy in migraine management will be chosen. Literature will be rigorously reviewed in accordance with inclusion and exclusion criteria, and pertinent data will be extracted for analysis. Excel 2021 will be utilized to conduct descriptive statistics. SPSS Modeler 14.1 will be employed to conduct the association rule analysis. SPSS Statistics 26.0 will be employed to conduct exploratory factor analysis, cluster analysis, and decision tree analysis.

Results

This study aims to investigate the optimal acupoint selection and combinations for people suffering from migraines.

Conclusion

Our research will offer empirical support for the efficacy and possible therapeutic recommendations of acupoint application in treating migraine patients, facilitating collaborative decision-making between physicians and patients.

Invention of novel 3-aminopiperidin-2-ones as calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonists

A novel series of 3-amino-piperidin-2-one-based calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonists was invented based upon the discovery of unexpected structure-activity observations. Initial exploration of the structure-activity relationships enabled the generation of a moderately potent lead structure (4). A series of modifications, including ring contraction and inversion of stereocenters, led to surprising improvements in CGRP receptor affinity. These studies identified compound 23, a structurally novel potent, orally bioavailable CGRP receptor antagonist.

One-Year Consistent Safety, Utilization, and Efficacy Assessment of Remote Electrical Neuromodulation (REN) for Migraine Treatment

INTRODUCTION

Migraine is a chronic neurological disorder causing severe pain and disability in more than a billion people worldwide. Ideal treatment should provide long-term efficacy with minimal side effects. Previous studies indicate that remote electrical neuromodulation (REN) is an efficacious and safe treatment option for the acute treatment of migraine in clinical practice. This study examined long-term safety, utilization, and efficacy of REN during 12 consecutive usage months.

METHODS

Data from patients with migraine across the USA using REN to treat their migraine attacks were electronically collected from the Nerivio® device. All patients who used REN during 12 consecutive months were included, and data were compared across months. Safety was assessed by the number and type of adverse events. Utilization was measured by the number of monthly treatments. Efficacy was evaluated as consistent change in headache pain intensity, functional disability, and disappearance of associated symptoms from baseline to 2 h post treatment.

RESULTS

Data were analyzed from 409 people living with migraine who treated with REN for 12 consecutive months, performing a total of 39,531 treatments. The incidence of device-related adverse events (dAEs) was 1.96% (8/409), including two negligible (0.49%), five mild (1.22%), one moderate (0.24%), and no severe events. All patients continued treatment with REN despite dAEs. One-year average monthly utilization was 8.05 treatments (SD 1.15). Month-to-month utilization did not change during 12 months of consecutive use [F(4.895, 1997.204) = 2.014, p = 0.075, repeated-measures ANOVA]. One-year average efficacy showed 74.1% of users reported consistent 2-h pain relief, and 26.0% reported consistent pain freedom. Month-to-month pain relief and pain freedom did not change during 12 months of consecutive use [F(11, 1069) = 0.55, p = 0.873 and F(11, 1295) = 0.69, p = 0.750 respectively; generalized linear mixed model analysis].

CONCLUSION

REN is a safe and well-tolerated acute migraine treatment, with stable efficacy and utilization over 1 year, making it an advantageous non-drug option for the long-term management of this chronic disease.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT05760638.

Associations between dietary diversity score and migraine headaches: the results from a cross-sectional study

Aims

There is limited evidence on the link between diet quality and migraine headaches. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between dietary diversity score (DDS), as a good representative of overall diet quality, and clinical features of migraine headaches.

Methods

In total, 262 subjects (224 females and 34 males), aged 20 to 50  years old were included in the present cross-sectional study. The migraine headache was diagnosed according to the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3). Clinical features of migraine headaches including frequency, severity, and duration of migraine headaches, headache impact test-6 (HIT-6), and serum levels of nitric oxide (NO) were assessed by standard procedures. The dietary intake of participants has been assessed by a validated 168-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and used to calculate DDS. The association between DDS and clinical variables of migraine headaches was investigated using multiple linear regression analysis, and the beta (β) estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported.

Results

A significant inverse association was found between DDS and headache frequency (β = -2.19, 95% CI: -4.25, -0.14) and serum levels of NO (β = -6.60, 95% CI: -12.58, -0.34), when comparing patients in the third tertile of DDS to those in the first tertile. The association remained significant and became stronger after adjustment for confounders for both outcomes of headache frequency (β = -3.36, 95% CI: -5.88, -0.84) and serum levels of NO (β = -9.86, 95% CI: -18.17, -1.55). However, no significant association was found between DDS with HIT-6 score, migraine headache duration, and severity.

Conclusion

The present study demonstrates that higher dietary diversity is correlated with lower migraine frequency and serum levels of NO.

Phase Ib, open-label, fixed-sequence, drug-drug interaction, safety, and tolerability study between atogepant and ubrogepant in participants with a history of migraine

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate potential drug-drug interactions of ubrogepant and atogepant.

BACKGROUND

Ubrogepant and atogepant, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonists, are recently approved drugs for acute and preventive treatment of migraine, respectively. For patients with migraine who are prescribed atogepant for the preventive treatment of migraine, health care providers could prescribe ubrogepant for the acute treatment of breakthrough migraine attacks.

METHODS

A phase Ib, multi-center, open-label, fixed-sequence study was conducted in participants diagnosed with migraine for at least 1 year. To assess the primary objective of pharmacokinetic interactions in this phase I trial, the highest United States Food and Drug Administration-approved individual dose strengths of atogepant (60 mg once daily) and ubrogepant (100 mg) were utilized, with ubrogepant being administered on a fixed-dose schedule every 3 days, regardless of whether a participant was experiencing a migraine attack. Secondary endpoints included safety and tolerability. Clinical safety measurements were monitored throughout the study.

RESULTS

Of the 31 participants enrolled, 26 completed the study. A single dose of ubrogepant had no statistically significant effect on atogepant pharmacokinetics. Co-administration of ubrogepant with atogepant resulted in a 19% increase (geometric mean ratio 118.80, 90% confidence interval [CI] 108.69-129.84) in the ubrogepant area under the plasma concentration-time curve and a 26% increase (geometric mean ratio 125.63, 90% CI 105.58-149.48) in the ubrogepant maximum plasma concentration. These statistically significant changes in ubrogepant exposure were not clinically meaningful, and no new safety concerns were identified for the combination.

CONCLUSION

The combination use of atogepant and ubrogepant was safe and well tolerated in adult participants with a history of migraine enrolled in the study. Pharmacokinetic changes during co-administration were not clinically meaningful.

Greater occipital nerve block in patients with primary headache and early term results

Purpose: Peripheral nerve blocks have long been used in headache treatment and greater occipital nerve (GON) blocks are the most frequently preferred peripheral nerve blocks in patients with headaches in the past years. In this study, the efficacy of GON blocks in patients with primary headache disorders was evaluated. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study was undertaken in April 2021 and April 2022. One hundred twenty-one patients with primary headache disorders were included. Changes in the duration and frequency of headache attacks, pain severity, and type of oral medication before and after the injection treatment during the first and third months of follow-up were evaluated. Results: The number of headache attacks decreased from 13 to 5 and the visual analogue scale(VAS) score decreased from 9 to 5 at the end of the third month in the migraine group. Similarly, the number of headache attacks decreased from 17 to 7 and the VAS score decreased from 8 to 4 in tension-type headache (TTH) group. Improvements in all parameters were found to be statistically significant in both groups. Conclusion: GON block is a low-cost, rapid and minimally invasive treatment, and our data support that this method can be an effective treatment option in patients with migraine and TTH who are resistant to oral medication by reducing the number, frequency and severity of headache attacks. In conclusion, GON blockade should be considered by clinicians as a primary treatment option in patients with migraine and TTH resistant to oral medication.

Efficacy and feasibility of a 12-week Tai Chi training for the prophylaxis of episodic migraine in Hong Kong Chinese women: A randomized controlled trial

Background

Tai Chi has been broadly applied as alternative treatment for many neurological and psychological disorders. Whereas no study using Tai Chi as prophylactic treatment for migraine. The purpose of this study was to preliminarily examine the efficacy and feasibility of a 12-week Tai Chi training on migraine attack prevention in a sample of Chinese women.

Methods

A two-arm randomized controlled trial was designed. Women aged 18 to 65 years and diagnosed with episodic migraine were randomized to either Tai Chi group (TC group) or the waiting list control group. A modified 33-short form Yang-style Tai Chi training with 1 h per day, 5 days per week for 12 weeks was implemented in the TC group, with a 12-week follow up period. The control group received a "delayed" Tai Chi training at the end of the trial. The primary outcome was the differences in attack frequency between 4 weeks before baseline and at the 9-12 weeks after randomization. The intensity and duration of headache were also measured. The feasibility was evaluated by the maintenance of Tai Chi practice and satisfactory level of the participants toward training.

Results

Eighty-two women were randomized, finally 40 in TC group and 33 in control group were involved in the analysis. On average, women in TC group had 3.0 times (95% CI: -4.0 to -2.0, P < 0.01) and 3.6 days (95% CI: -4.7 to -2.5, P < 0.01) reduction of migraine attack per month. Compared with the control group, the differences were statistically significant (-3.7 attacks/month, 95% CI: -5.4 to -1.9; and -3.0 migraine days/month, 95% CI: -4.5 to -1.5; both P < 0.001). The intensity and duration of headache had 0.6 (95% CI: -1.2 to -0.0, P < 0.05) units and 1.2 (IQR: -5.0 to 1.1, P < 0.05) hours reduction in TC group, respectively. Most of the participants (69.2%-97.4%) were satisfied with the training. At the end of 24 weeks, on average, the participants maintained 1.5 times of practice per week and 20 min for each practice.

Conclusion

The 12-week Tai Chi training significantly decreased the frequency of migraine attack. It was acceptable and practicable among female migraineurs.

Clinical trial registration

www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT03015753.

Migraine management: Non-pharmacological points for patients and health care professionals

Migraine is a highly prevalent disorder with an enormous burden on societies. Different types of medications are used for controlling both acute attacks and prevention. This article reviews some non-pharmacological recommendations aiming to manage migraine disorder better and prevent headache attacks. Different triggers of migraine headache attacks, including environmental factors, sleep pattern changes, diet, physical activity, stress and anxiety, some medications, and hormonal changes, are discussed. It is advised that they be identified and managed. Patients should learn the skills to cope with the trigger factors that are difficult to avoid. In addition, weight control, management of migraine comorbidities, lifestyle modification, behavioural treatment and biofeedback, patient education, using headache diaries, and improving patients' knowledge about the disease are recommended to be parts of migraine management. In addition, using neuromodulation techniques, dietary supplements such as riboflavin, coenzyme Q10 and magnesium, and acupuncture can be helpful. Non-pharmacological approaches should be considered in migraine management. Furthermore, the combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches is more effective than using each separately.

The Virtual "Enfacement Illusion" on Pain Perception in Patients Suffering from Chronic Migraine: A Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

given the limited efficacy, tolerability, and accessibility of pharmacological treatments for chronic migraine (CM), new complementary strategies have gained increasing attention. Body ownership illusions have been proposed as a non-pharmacological strategy for pain relief. Here, we illustrate the protocol for evaluating the efficacy in decreasing pain perception of the enfacement illusion of a happy face observed through an immersive virtual reality (VR) system in CM.

METHOD

the study is a double-blind randomized controlled trial with two arms, involving 100 female CM patients assigned to the experimental group or the control group. The experimental group will be exposed to the enfacement illusion, whereas the control group will be exposed to a pleasant immersive virtual environment. Both arms of the trial will consist in three VR sessions (20 min each). At the baseline and at the end of the intervention, the patients will fill in questionnaires based on behavioral measures related to their emotional and psychological state and their body satisfaction. Before and after each VR session, the level of pain, the body image perception, and the affective state will be assessed.

DISCUSSION

this study will provide knowledge regarding the relationship between internal body representation and pain perception, supporting the effectiveness of the enfacement illusion as a cognitive behavioral intervention in CM.

Comparative efficacy of acupuncture-related therapy for migraine: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background

Migraine is a worldwide disabling chronic brain disorder, some studies suggest acupuncture-related therapy plays an important role in raising efficiency rates and reducing migraine attacks. However, clinical trials comparing the efficacy of different interventions for migraine are limited and controversial. This network meta-analysis (NMA) was performed to review all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effects of acupuncture-related therapy for migraine.

Methods

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture-related therapy for migraine were searched in the following databases from the date of database inception to March 31, 2022, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Database, Wanfang Database, and Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM). The primary endpoint was visual analog scale (VAS) scores. The secondary endpoints were the number of migraine days, duration of migraine, and frequency of migraine attacks. We used Cochrane risk of bias to assess the quality of evidence for outcomes.

Results

Thirty-nine studies involving 4379 patients with 13 different acupuncture-related methods were evaluated. According to surface under the cumulative ranking curve value, acupoint injection was ranked the highest (98.0%) in VAS scores, followed by acupoint implantation (79.0%); electroacupuncture was the optimal intervention method (82.4%) in the number of migraine days, followed by embedding needle therapy (73.1%); embedding needle therapy ranked first (99.9%) in the duration of migraine, followed by acupoint injection (77.4%); acupoint injection was the best intervention (99.3%) in the frequency of migraine attacks, followed by conventional acupuncture plus massage (73.8%).

Conclusion

These results provide preliminary evidence that acupuncture-related therapy could be recommended as one of the effective treatments for migraine. Conventional acupuncture has significant effects on improving VAS scores, the number of migraine days, duration of migraine, and frequency of migraine attacks. However, more high-quality studies should be carried out to verify this finding.

Systematic review registration

https://inplasy.com/, identifier: INPLASY202110035.

A importância da abordagem dos distúrbios do sono no tratamento da enxaqueca

Resumo A enxaqueca ou migrânea, é uma das queixas mais comuns na prática clínica da neurologia. É multifatorial, sendo a insônia um fator de predisposição presente em quase 50% dos casos. A fisiopatologia da migrânea é complexa e envolve alterações em diversas áreas do SNC e que encontram vias comuns com os distúrbios do sono. Entre elas, conexões hipotalâmicas, hormônios e neuropeptídeos, como orexias e monoaminérgicos. Além disso, outros distúrbios do sono específicos se relacionam com a migrânea. Atualmente, o tratamento é individualizado e além de medidas medicamentosas, é proposto mudanças nos hábitos de vida e adequações do sono. Diante disso, é uma oportunidade terapêutica a associação entre sono e enxaqueca e isso pode ser feito com base em uma abordagem clínica detalhada durante a consulta.

Safety and tolerability of erenumab in individuals with episodic or chronic migraine across age groups: a pooled analysis of placebo-controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Erenumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody that targets the calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor, has demonstrated efficacy and safety in the prevention of episodic and chronic migraine. There exists an unmet need to establish the safety of erenumab in older individuals, in view of existing multiple comorbidities, polypharmacy, and age-related physiological changes. This pooled analysis of five large migraine-prevention studies examined the safety of erenumab stratified across age groups, particularly in older populations.

METHODS

Pooled and age-stratified analysis of safety data from the 12-week double-blind treatment phase (DBTP) of five randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 and 3 studies of erenumab in participants with episodic or chronic migraine across the age groups < 40 years, 40-49 years, 50-59 years, and ≥ 60 years was completed. The safety of erenumab across age groups was determined by assessing safety endpoints including treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs), serious AEs, and events leading to study drug discontinuation.

RESULTS

Overall, 3345 participants across five studies were randomized to receive either placebo (n = 1359), erenumab 70 mg (n = 1132) or erenumab 140 mg (n = 854); 3176 (94.9%) completed the DBTP, and 169 (5.1%) discontinued, mainly due to participant decision (110; 3.3%). Overall, 1349 (40.6%), 1122 (33.8%), and 850 (25.6%) participants received at least one dose of placebo, erenumab 70 mg, and erenumab 140 mg, respectively. Incidence of treatment-emergent AEs was similar across all age groups for both doses of erenumab (70 mg or 140 mg) and placebo (< 40 years, 44.0% vs 44.4%; 40-49 years, 42.5% vs 49.2%; 50-59 years, 46.5% vs 41.6%; ≥ 60 years, 43.8% vs 59.4%). Incidence of treatment-emergent serious AEs overall, and stratified by age groups for both doses and placebo was low (< 40 years, 0.9% vs 1.2%; 40-49 years, 1.7% vs 1.9%; and 50-59 years, 1.6% vs 1.1%), with no serious AEs reported in participants aged ≥ 60 years. No deaths were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Erenumab (70 mg or 140 mg) exhibited a similar safety profile compared with placebo across age groups in individuals with episodic or chronic migraine, with no increased emergence of events due to age. Erenumab was well tolerated in older participants with multiple comorbidities, polypharmacy, and age-related physiological changes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT02066415, NCT02456740, NCT02483585, NCT03096834, NCT03333109.

A Digital Therapeutic Allowing a Personalized Low-Glycemic Nutrition for the Prophylaxis of Migraine: Real World Data from Two Prospective Studies

Migraine is a headache disorder associated with a high socioeconomic burden. The digital therapeutic sinCephalea provides an individualized low-glycemic diet based on continuous glucose measurement and is intended to provide a non-pharmacological migraine prophylaxis. We performed two prospective studies with migraine patients who used sinCephalea over a period of 16 weeks. The patients used a headache diary and recorded their migraine-related daily life impairments using the assessment tools HIT-6 and MIDAS for a pre versus post comparison. In addition, continuous glucose data of patients were compared to healthy controls. In both studies, patients reported a reduction of headache and migraine days as well as reductions in HIT-6 and MIDAS scores. More specifically, migraine days decreased by 2.40 days (95% CI [−3.37; −1.42]), HIT-6 improved by 3.17 points (95% CI [−4.63; −1.70]) and MIDAS by 13.45 points (95% CI [−22.01; −4.89]). Glucose data suggest that migraine patients have slightly increased mean glucose values compared to healthy controls, but drop into a glucose range that is below one’s individual standard range before a migraine attack. In conclusion, sinCephalea is a non-pharmacological, digital migraine prophylaxis that induces a therapeutic effect within the range of pharmacological interventions.

A Comprehensive Review of Zavegepant as Abortive Treatment for Migraine

Migraine headache is a widespread and complex neurobiological disorder that is characterized by unilateral headaches that are often accompanied by photophobia and phonophobia. Migraine is one of the leading chief complaints in the emergency department with negative impacts on quality of life and activities of daily living. The high number of emergency presentations also results in a significant economic burden. Its risk factors include family history, genetics, sex, race, socioeconomics, the existence of comorbid conditions, and level of education. Triggers include stress, light, noise, menstruation, weather, changes in sleep pattern, hunger, dehydration, dietary factors, odors, and alcohol. The International Headache Society has defined criteria for the diagnosis of migraine with and without aura. The pathophysiology of migraine headaches is multifactorial so there are a variety of treatment approaches. The current treatment approach includes abortive medications and prophylactic medications. Abortive medications include the first-line treatment of triptans, followed by ergot alkaloids, and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonists along with supplemental caffeine and antiemetics. Trigeminal afferents from the trigeminal ganglion innervate most cranial tissues and many areas of the head and face. These trigeminal afferents express certain biomarkers such as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P, neurokinin A, and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide that are important to the pain and sensory aspect of migraines. In this comprehensive review, we discuss Zavegepant, a calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist, as a new abortive medication for migraine headaches.

Galcanezumab effect on "whole pain burden" and multidimensional outcomes in migraine patients with previous unsuccessful treatments: a real-world experience

BACKGROUND

Clinical trials have demonstrated galcanezumab as safe and effective in migraine prevention. However, real-life data are still lacking and overlook the impact of galcanezumab on those different migraine facets strongly contributing to migraine burden. Herein we report the clinical experience from an Italian real-world setting using galcanezumab in patients with migraine experiencing previous unsuccessful preventive treatments.

METHODS

Forty-three patients with migraine and failure of at least 3 migraine preventive medication classes received monthly galcanezumab 120 mg s.c. At the first administration and after 3 and 6 months, patients underwent extensive interviews to assess clinical parameters of disease severity. Furthermore, validated questionnaires were administered to explore migraine-related disability, impact, and quality of life as well as symptoms of depression or anxiety, pain catastrophizing, sleep quality and the ictal cutaneous allodynia.

RESULTS

After the third and the sixth administration of monthly galcanezumab 120 mg s.c., headache attacks frequency reduced from 20.56 to 7.44 and 6.37 headache days per month, respectively. Moreover, a significant improvement in headache pain intensity (from 8.95 to 6.84 and 6.21) and duration (from 9.03 to 3.75 and 2.38) as well as in scores assessing migraine related disability and impact, depressive and anxious symptoms, and pain catastrophizing was observed. Furthermore, we demonstrated a significant reduction in the values of "whole pain burden", a composite score derived from the product of the average of headache frequency, intensity, and duration in the last three months.

CONCLUSION

Real-world data support monthly galcanezumab 120 mg s.c. as a safe and effective preventive treatment in reducing headache frequency, intensity, and duration as well as comorbid depressive or anxious symptoms, pain catastrophizing and quality of life in both episodic and chronic migraine patients with previous unsuccessful preventive treatments. Furthermore, we demonstrated that monthly galcanezumab 120 mg s.c. is able to induce a significant improvement in the scores of "whole pain burden". The latter is a reliable and easy-to-handle tool to be employed in clinical setting to evaluate the effectiveness of preventive drugs (in this case, galcanezumab) or when the decision of continuing the treatment with anti-CGRP mAbs is mandatory.

Effectiveness and acceptability of noninvasive brain and nerve stimulation techniques for migraine prophylaxis: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Current pharmacologic prophylactic strategies for migraine have exhibited limited efficacy, with response rates as low as 40%-50%. In addition to the limited efficacy, the acceptability of those pharmacologic prophylactic strategies were unacceptable. Although noninvasive brain/nerve stimulation strategies may be effective, the evidence has been inconsistent. The aim of this network meta-analysis (NMA) was to compare strategies of noninvasive brain/nerve stimulation for migraine prophylaxis with respect to their effectiveness and acceptability.

METHODS

The PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, ClinicalTrials.gov , ClinicalKey, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were systematically searched to date of June 4th, 2021 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Patients with diagnosis of migraine, either episodic migraine or chronic migraine, were included. All NMA procedures were conducted under the frequentist model.

RESULTS

Nineteen RCTs were included (N = 1493; mean age = 38.2 years; 82.0% women). We determined that the high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over C3 yielded the most decreased monthly migraine days among all the interventions [mean difference = - 8.70 days, 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs): - 14.45 to - 2.95 compared to sham/control groups]. Only alternating frequency (2/100 Hz) transcutaneous occipital nerve stimulation (tONS) over the Oz (RR = 0.36, 95%CIs: 0.16 to 0.82) yielded a significantly lower drop-out rate than the sham/control groups did.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study provided a new direction for the design of more methodologically robust and larger RCTs based on the findings of the potentially beneficial effect on migraine prophylaxis in participants with migraine by different noninvasive brain/nerve stimulation, especially the application of rTMS and tONS.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

CRD42021252638. The current study had been approval by the Institutional Review Board of the Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center (TSGHIRB No. B-109-29).

Reducing the physical, social, and emotional impact of episodic migraine: Results from erenumab STRIVE and ARISE phase III randomized trials

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in the functional impact of migraine following treatment with erenumab, as measured by the Migraine Functional Impact Questionnaire (MFIQ).

BACKGROUND

The MFIQ, a novel patient-reported outcome (PRO) measuring the impact of migraine on four domains (physical function, social function, and emotional function [PF, SF, and EF]; usual activities [UAs]) and a single item assessing overall impact on UA, was included in phase III trials evaluating erenumab 70 and 140 mg monthly for migraine prevention among people with episodic migraine (EM).

METHODS

In the ARISE study, 577 patients with EM were randomized to erenumab 70 mg or placebo. In the STRIVE study, 955 patients with EM were randomized to erenumab, 70 mg or 140 mg or placebo. Pairwise comparisons of least-squares mean (LSM) change from baseline in MFIQ scores (with associated 95% confidence interval [CI]) were assessed for each active treatment versus placebo.

RESULTS

In ARISE, greater reductions from baseline to month 3 were observed for 70 mg versus placebo for PF (LSM [95% CI]: -3.2 [-6.4 to -0.1]; p = 0.046) and EF (-4.0 [-7.3 to -0.7]; p = 0.019) domain scores. In STRIVE, between-group differences also reflected reductions from baseline to the average of months 4-6 that favored erenumab on all four MFIQ domain scores. Reductions in impact for 70 mg compared to placebo were -4.3 (95% CI: -6.8 to -1.7; p < 0.001) for PF, -4.0 (-6.3 to -1.7; p < 0.001) for UA, -3.7 (-6.1 to -1.2; p = 0.003) for SF, and -5.3 (-7.9 to -2.6; p < 0.001) for EF domain scores. Improvements were also observed for 140 mg versus placebo with between-group differences of -5.7 (95% CI: -8.2 to -3.2; p < 0.001) in PF, -5.1 (-7.5 to -2.8; p < 0.001) in UA, -5.0 (-7.4 to -2.6; p < 0.001) in SF, and -7.2 (-9.9 to -4.5; p < 0.001) in EF domain scores. There were also greater improvements in the overall impact on UA score for 70 mg (LSM [95% CI]: -4.3 [-7.0 to -1.7]; p = 0.001) and 140 mg (-5.3 [-8.5 to -3.2]; p < 0.001) versus placebo.

CONCLUSIONS

The MFIQ measures the frequency of impacts and level of difficulty on multiple functional domains that provide a more complete picture of the effects of migraine. MFIQ scores showed that in comparison with placebo, patients treated with erenumab had greater reductions in the functional impact of migraine, providing insight into treatment benefits that extend beyond improvements in clinical status and health-related quality of life previously reported based on clinical end points and other PROs.

Regular Practice of Autogenic Training Reduces Migraine Frequency and Is Associated With Brain Activity Changes in Response to Fearful Visual Stimuli

Several factors can contribute to the development and chronification of migraines, including stress, which is undoubtedly a major trigger. Beyond pharmacotherapy, other treatment methods also exist, including behavioral techniques aiming at reducing patients’ stress response. However, the exact brain mechanisms underlying the efficacy of such methods are poorly understood. Our pilot study examined whether the regular practice of autogenic training (AT) induces functional brain changes and if so, how it could be associated with the improvement of migraine parameters. By exploring neural changes through which AT exerts its effect, we can get closer to the pathomechanism of migraine. In particular, we investigated the effect of a headache-specific AT on brain activation using an implicit face emotion processing functional MRI (fMRI) task in female subjects with and without episodic migraine. Our focus was on migraine- and psychological stress-related brain regions. After a 16-week training course, migraineurs showed decreased activation in the migraine-associated dorsal pons to fearful compared with neutral visual stimuli. We also detected decreasing differences in supplementary motor area (SMA) activation to fearful stimuli, and in posterior insula activation to happy stimuli between healthy subjects and migraineurs. Furthermore, migraineurs reported significantly less migraine attacks. These brain activation changes suggest that AT may influence the activity of brain regions responsible for emotion perception, emotional and motor response integration, as well as cognitive control, while also being able to diminish the activation of regions that have an active role in migraine attacks. Improvements induced by the training and the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms are additional arguments in favor of evidence-based personalized behavioral therapies.

Real-World Analysis of Remote Electrical Neuromodulation (REN) for the Acute Treatment of Migraine

Introduction: Migraine is a chronic neurological disease that is the primary cause of years lived with disability in people under the age of 50. Remote electrical neuromodulation (REN) is a novel drug-free acute treatment of migraine, that is FDA cleared for episodic and chronic migraine. As a prescribed digital therapeutic, REN enables large-scale post-marketing research, thus providing real-world information on the use of the intervention in a wide range of populations, environments, and situations.

Methods: The REN device (®Nerivio) includes a secured, personal migraine diary, which patients can use to record their symptoms before treatment and 2 h post-treatment. Real-world data on REN treatments were collected via the app from patients across the United States who used Nerivio between October 1st, 2019, and May 24th, 2021. Data analysis focused on four metrics: 1. Per-treatment patterns of REN use as a standalone treatment vs. in combination with medications. 2. Per-user intra-individual efficacy across multiple treatments. 3. Distribution of treatment intensity among users (the electroceutical equivalent to treatment dose). 4. Prevalence and severity of adverse events.

Results: 1. Out of 23,151 treatments, in 66.5% of treatments REN was used as a standalone treatment, in 12.9% it was followed by over-the-counter medications, and in 20.6% followed by prescription medications. 2. Out of 2,514 patients, response in at least 50% of treatments was achieved in 66.5% of cases for pain relief, and in 22.6% for pain freedom. 3. Out of 117,583 treatments, in 80% of cases intensity levels were between 18 and 55% of the stimulator's range. The mean intensity was 34.3% of the stimulator's output (±16.6%). 4. Out of 12,368 users (121,947 treatments), there were 59 users (0.48%) who reported device related adverse events, 56 (0.45%) of which were mild, three (0.03%) were moderate, and none were severe.

Conclusions: The current analysis of real-world clinical data indicates that REN provides an efficacious, stable, and safe treatment option for acute treatment of migraine in real-world settings, both as a standalone replacement of pharmaceuticals, as well as an adjunct to medications.

Effects of Synergism of Mindfulness Practice Associated With Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation in Chronic Migraine: Pilot, Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Clinical Trial

Chronic migraine is a difficult disease to diagnose, and its pathophysiology remains undefined. Its symptoms affect the quality of life and daily living tasks of the affected person, leading to momentary disability. This is a pilot, randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial study with female patients between 18 and 65 years old with chronic migraine. The patients underwent twelve mindfulness sessions paired with anodal transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), with current intensity of 2 mA applied for 20 min, three times a week for 4 weeks. In addition, 20 min of mindfulness home practices were performed by guided meditation audio files. A total of 30 participants were evaluated after the treatment, and these were subdivided into two groups—active tDCS and sham tDCS, both set to mindfulness practice. The FFMQ-BR (Five Facet of Mindfulness Questionnaire), MIDAS (Migraine Disability Assessment), and HIT-6 (Headache Impact Test) questionnaires were used to evaluate the outcomes. After the treatment, the active mindfulness and tDCS group showed better results in all outcomes. The sham group also showed improvements, but with smaller effect sizes compared to the active group. The only significant difference in the intergroup analysis was the outcome evaluated by HIT-6 in the post treatment result. Our results provide the first therapeutic evidence of mindfulness practices associated with left DLPFC anodal tDCS with a consequent increase in the level of full attention and analgesic benefits in the clinical symptoms of patients with chronic migraine.

Beneficial Effects of Kiatsu™ with Ki Training on Episodic Migraine: An Exploratory Study

OBJECTIVE

To conduct an exploratory study of KiatsuTM with Ki training as a potential therapy for treating episodic migraine in women.

BACKGROUND

Current therapies for migraine have proven partially effective, highlighting the need for alternative treatment options. In preparation for development of a randomized controlled study, the authors conducted a single arm pilot exploratory study to evaluate the effect of Kiatsu with Ki training in adult females with episodic migraine.

METHODS

Study subjects established a baseline migraine frequency over 4 weeks. During the following 4 weeks, each subject received instruction in Ki training (to improve concentration, balance, and relaxation), accompanied by Kiatsu (a focused touch method that reduces tension, swelling, and pain). Subjects then participated in one session a month for additional 6 months. The initial session was 1 hour; subsequent sessions averaged 30 minutes. Subjects documented migraine frequency, migraine-specific quality of life scores, and medication use.

RESULT

Sixty-nine subjects met the study inclusion criteria, and 21 completed the study. Subjects reported a significant reduction in migraine frequency after 1 month (from 7.2 to 3.8 migraines/month; p < 0.05), with an overall 53% reduction at 6 months (p < 0.001). Significant improvements in quality of life (QoL) were reported after 1 month, with continued improvements until study completion (p < 0.0001). A moderate reduction in medication use was also documented (p < 0.03), corresponding to improved QoL scores.

CONCLUSION

Kiatsu with Ki training may be an effective treatment option for females with migraines, either in combination with medications or as a potential alternative to medications for patients who do not benefit from conventional therapies. The results of this pilot study justify the development of a randomized controlled study designed to investigate the potential benefits of this novel therapeutic method for treating migraine.

SCFA Treatment Alleviates Pathological Signs of Migraine and Related Intestinal Alterations in a Mouse Model of NTG-Induced Migraine

Background: There is a growing realization that the gut–brain axis signaling is critical for maintaining the health and homeostasis of the Central Nervous System (CNS) and the intestinal environment. The role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs), such as Sodium Propionate (SP) and Sodium Butyrate (SB), has been reported to counteract inflammation activation in the central and Enteric Nervous System (ENS). Methods: In this study, we evaluated the role of the SCFAs in regulating the pathophysiology of migraine and correlated dysregulations in the gut environment in a mouse model of Nitroglycerine (NTG)-induced migraine. Results: We showed that, following behavioral tests evaluating pain and photophobia, the SP and SB treatments attenuated pain attacks provoked by NTG. Moreover, treatments with both SCFAs reduced histological damage in the trigeminal nerve nucleus and decreased the expression of proinflammatory mediators. Ileum evaluation following NTG injection reported that SCFA treatments importantly restored intestinal mucosa alterations, as well as the release of neurotransmitters in the ENS. Conclusions: Taken together, these results provide evidence that SCFAs exert powerful effects, preventing inflammation through the gut–brain axis, suggesting a new insight into the potential application of SCFAs as novel supportive therapies for migraine and correlated intestinal alterations.

Comparison of remote electrical neuromodulation (REN) and standard-care medications for acute treatment of migraine in adolescents: a post-hoc analysis

OBJECTIVE

There is an unmet need for new efficacious, well-tolerated, acute treatments for migraine in adolescents. Remote electrical neuromodulation (REN) is a novel, non-pharmacological treatment, that provides significant symptom relief with good tolerability. The current post-hoc analysis compared the efficacy of REN to that of standard-care medications, for the acute treatment of migraine in adolescents.

DESIGN

Within-participant post-hoc analysis of data from a clinical trial.

SETTING

Data from a clinical trial.

SUBJECTS

Data from 35 adolescent participants was analyzed.

METHODS

Efficacy was compared between a run-in phase in which attacks were treated with standard-care medications (triptans or over-the-counter medications), and an intervention phase in which attacks were treated with REN. Efficacy was compared within-participant using McNemar's test, at four endpoints (two hours post-treatment): single-treatment pain freedom and pain relief, and consistency of pain freedom and pain relief (defined as response in at least 50% of the available first four treatments).

RESULTS

At two hours post-treatment, pain freedom was achieved by 37.1% of the participants with REN, vs. 8.6% of the participants with medications (p = 0.004). Pain relief was achieved by 71.4% with REN, vs. 57.1% with medications (p = 0.225). Consistency of pain freedom was achieved by 40% with REN, vs. 8.6% with medications (p < 0.001). Consistency of pain relief was achieved by 80.0% with REN, vs. 57.2% with medications (p = 0.033).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that REN may have higher efficacy than certain standard-care medications for the acute treatment of migraine in adolescents. A larger scale, blinded, comparative effectiveness and tolerability study is needed.

PEARL study protocol: a real-world study of fremanezumab effectiveness in patients with chronic or episodic migraine

Fremanezumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody (IgG2Δa) that selectively targets calcitonin gene-related peptide and is approved in Europe for migraine prevention in adults with ≥4 migraine days/month. The Pan-European Real Life (PEARL) study is a 24-month, prospective, observational study of fremanezumab in chronic or episodic migraine. End points include proportion of patients with ≥50% reduction in monthly migraine days during 6 months of treatment (primary); changes in monthly migraine days, disability scores and acute headache medication use; adherence and persistence; and effectiveness in patients switching from another calcitonin gene-related peptide pathway-targeting monoclonal antibody. PEARL is being conducted in approximately 100 centers in 11 European countries (estimated n = 1100). PEARL will generate important real-world data on effectiveness of fremanezumab and treatment patterns in patients with chronic migraine or episodic migraine.

Real-World Trends in Characteristics of Patients with Migraine Newly Initiated on Erenumab in the USA: A Retrospective Analysis

INTRODUCTION

This retrospective analysis aimed to characterize patients with migraine initiating erenumab and the shifting or trend of patient characteristics over time in a real-world setting.

METHODS

Adult patients with at least one erenumab written prescription/administration between May 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019 were identified from the Optum De-identified Electronic Health Record (EHR) database (index date = date of the first erenumab prescription/administration). Patient demographics and characteristics, acute and preventive medications used prior to initiation of erenumab, and the initial prescriber specialty were examined. In addition, the shifting or trends of patient characteristics over time were analyzed among subgroups of patients based on when they initiated erenumab.

RESULTS

A total of 14,774 eligible patients who met inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the analysis. Most patients were female (86.4%), average age 46.3 (standard deviation [SD] = 13.1) years, Caucasian (88.7%), non-Hispanic (91.8%), and commercially insured (59.8%) at the index date. During the 12-month pre-index period, commonly observed selected comorbid conditions included anxiety (30.6%), depression (28.2%), and cardiovascular diseases (26.4%), and the mean (SD) Elixhauser comorbidity score was 1.7 (5.5). The most common provider specialty at erenumab initiation was neurologist/headache specialist (46.5%). Over time, there was a decrease in mean baseline Elixhauser comorbidity score at erenumab initiation, an increase in general practitioners prescribing initial erenumab, and increased utilization in patients with less severe migraine overall (a proxy of the declining trend in chronic migraine and triptan use).

CONCLUSION

Early use of erenumab post approval focused on patients with more severe disease and a high comorbidity index rating. Over time, utilization of this preventive medication occurred in a broader population of patients with migraine, with increased use by general practitioners and those outside of headache centers.

Long-Term Safety Evaluation of Ubrogepant for the Acute Treatment of Migraine: Phase 3, Randomized, 52-Week Extension Trial

Objective

To evaluate the long‐term safety and tolerability of ubrogepant for the acute treatment of migraine.

Background

Ubrogepant is an oral, calcitonin gene–related receptor antagonist in development for the acute treatment of migraine. The efficacy of ubrogepant was demonstrated in 2 phase 3 trials in which a significant improvement was observed in migraine headache pain, migraine‐associated symptoms, and ability to function.

Methods

This was a phase 3, multicenter, randomized, open‐label, 52‐week extension trial. Adults with migraine with or without aura entered the trial after completing one of 2 phase 3 lead‐in trials and were re‐randomized 1:1:1 to usual care, ubrogepant 50 mg, or ubrogepant 100 mg. Randomization to ubrogepant dose was blinded. Those randomized to usual care continued to treat migraine attacks with their own medication. The usual care arm was included in this trial to capture background rates of hepatic laboratory parameters and contextualize hepatic safety assessments. Safety and tolerability were the primary outcome measures. The safety population for the ubrogepant arms included all randomized participants who received at least 1 dose of treatment. All cases of alanine aminotransferase (ALT)/aspartate aminotransferase (AST) elevations of ≥3 times the upper limit of normal were adjudicated by an independent panel of liver experts who were blinded to dose.

Results

The safety population included 1230 participants (404 in the ubrogepant 50‐mg group, 409 in the ubrogepant 100‐mg group, and 417 in the usual care group). Participants were on average 42 years of age, 90% (1106/1230) female and 85% (1043/1230) white, with an average BMI of 30 kg/m². Throughout the trial, 21,454 migraine attacks were treated with 31,968 doses of ubrogepant. Treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were reported by 268/404 (66%) participants receiving ubrogepant 50 mg and 297/409 (73%) receiving ubrogepant 100 mg. The most commonly reported TEAE was upper respiratory tract infection (<12%); findings were similar across dose groups. Treatment‐related TEAEs were reported by 42/404 (10%) participants in the ubrogepant 50‐mg group and 43/409 (11%) in the ubrogepant 100‐mg group. Serious adverse events (SAEs) were reported by 9/404 (2%) participants in the ubrogepant 50‐mg group and 12/409 (3%) participants in the ubrogepant 100‐mg group. Twenty cases of ALT/AST levels of ≥3 times the upper limit of normal were reported and reviewed by an independent clinical adjudication committee of liver experts. There were no cases of Hy’s Law.

Conclusions

Long‐term intermittent use of ubrogepant 50 and 100 mg given as 1 or 2 doses per attack for the acute treatment of migraine was safe and well tolerated, as indicated by a low incidence of treatment‐related TEAEs and SAEs and discontinuations due to adverse events in this 1‐year trial.

Differential actions of indomethacin: clinical relevance in headache

ABSTRACT

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, cyclooxygenase inhibitors, are used routinely in the treatment of primary headache disorders. Indomethacin is unique in its use in the diagnosis and treatment of hemicrania continua and paroxysmal hemicrania. The mechanism of this specific action is not fully understood, although an interaction with nitric oxide (NO) signaling pathways has been suggested. Trigeminovascular neurons were activated by dural electrical stimulation, systemic administration of an NO donor, or local microiontophoresis of L-glutamate. Using electrophysiological techniques, we subsequently recorded the activation of trigeminovascular neurons and their responses to intravenous indomethacin, naproxen, and ibuprofen. Administration of indomethacin (5 mg·kg-1), ibuprofen (30 mg·kg-1), or naproxen (30 mg·kg-1) inhibited dural-evoked firing within the trigeminocervical complex with different temporal profiles. Similarly, both indomethacin and naproxen inhibited L-glutamate-evoked cell firing suggesting a common action. By contrast, only indomethacin was able to inhibit NO-induced firing. The differences in profile of effect of indomethacin may be fundamental to its ability to treat paroxysmal hemicrania and hemicrania continua. The data implicate NO-related signaling as a potential therapeutic approach to these disorders.

Characterization of opioidergic mechanisms related to the anti-migraine effect of vagus nerve stimulation

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a promising neuromodulation approach used in the treatment of migraine, whose therapeutic mechanism is largely unknown. Previous studies suggest that VNS's anti-nociceptive effects may, in part, involve engaging opioidergic mechanisms. We used a validated preclinical model of head pain, with good translational outcomes in migraine, acute intracranial-dural stimulation, which has responded to invasive VNS. We tested the effects of μ (MOR), δ (DOR) and κ (KOR) opioid receptor agonists in this model, and subsequently the effects of opioid receptor antagonists against VNS-mediated neuronal inhibition. MOR, DOR, and KOR agonists all inhibited dural-evoked trigeminocervical neuronal responses. Both DOR and KOR agonists also inhibited ongoing spontaneous firing of dural responsive neurons. Both DOR and KOR agonists were more efficacious than the MOR agonist in this model. We confirm the inhibitory effect of invasive VNS and demonstrate that this effect was prevented by a broad-spectrum opioid receptor antagonist, and by a highly selective DOR antagonist. Our data confirm the role of MOR in dural-trigeminovascular neurotransmission and additionally provide evidence of a role of both DOR and KOR in dural-nociceptive transmission of trigeminocervical neurons. Further, the results here provide evidence of engagement of opioidergic mechanisms in the therapeutic action of VNS in headache, specifically the DOR. These studies provide further support for the important role of the DOR in headache mechanisms, and as a potential therapeutic target. The data begin to dissect the mode of action of the analgesic effects of VNS in the treatment of primary headache disorders.

Remote Electrical Neuromodulation for the Acute Treatment of Episodic and Chronic Migraine

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Real-world Experience with Remote Electrical Neuromodulation in the Acute Treatment of Migraine

OBJECTIVE

Remote electrical neuromodulation (REN) is a nonpharmacological acute migraine treatment that stimulates upper-arm peripheral nerves. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of REN for acute treatment of migraine in a real-world setting.

METHODS

Real-world data were collected from patients who were using REN (Nerivio®, Theranica Bio-Electronics Ltd., Israel) between October 1, 2019, and March 31, 2020. Patients recorded their symptoms at baseline, two hours, and 24 hours post-treatment. Patients were stratified based on the type of visit and provider; in-person visits with headache specialists (HS group) or virtual visits with nonheadache specialists (NHS group). Efficacy outcome focused on intra-individual consistency of response across multiple attacks.

RESULTS

We found that 58.9% (662/1,123) of the patients in the HS group and 74.2% (23/31) of the patients in the NHS group experienced pain relief at two hours in at least 50% of their treated attacks and 20.0% (268/1,339) of the patients in the HS group and 35.6% (16/45) of the patients in the NHS group experienced pain freedom at two hours in at least 50% of their treated attacks. The effects of REN on associated symptoms and improvement in function were also consistent in both groups. The incidence of device-related adverse events was very low (0.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

Real-world data confirm that REN results in meaningful clinical benefits with minimal side effects. REN may provide an effective drug-free treatment option for achieving consistent relief from migraine symptoms and may reduce the use of acute medications.

Remote electrical neuromodulation for acute treatment of migraine in adolescents

OBJECTIVES

Migraine is a common disabling neurological disorder. Current acute treatments for migraine in adolescents are mostly pharmacological and may have limited effectiveness, can cause side effects, and may lead to medication overuse. There is an unmet need for effective and well-tolerated treatments. Remote electrical neuromodulation (REN) is a novel acute treatment of migraine that stimulates upper arm peripheral nerves to induce conditioned pain modulation (CPM)-an endogenous analgesic mechanism. The REN device (Nerivio^® , Theranica Bio-Electronics Ltd., Israel) is a FDA-authorized device for acute treatment of migraine in adults. This study assessed the efficacy and safety of REN in adolescents with migraine.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This was an open-label, single-arm, multicenter study in adolescents (ages 12-17 years) with migraine. Participants underwent a 4-week run-in phase. Eligible participants continued to an 8-week treatment phase with the device. Pain severity, associated symptoms, and functional disability were recorded at treatment initiation, and 2 and 24 hours post-treatment. The primary endpoints of this study were related to the safety and tolerability of REN. The secondary endpoints were related to device efficacy and included the proportion of participants who achieved pain relief at 2 hours post-treatment and the proportion of participants who achieved pain freedom at 2 hours. The presented results reflect an interim analysis with subsequent stopping of the rest of the study.

RESULTS

Sixty participants were enrolled for the study; of these, 14 failed to meet the run-in criteria and 1 was lost to follow-up. Forty-five participants performed at least one treatment, of which 39 participants completed a test treatment with REN. One device-related adverse event (2%) was reported in which a temporary feeling of pain in the arm was felt. Pain relief and pain-free at 2 hours were achieved by 71% (28/39) and 35% (14/39) participants, respectively. At 2 hours, 69% (23/33) participants experienced improvement in functional ability.

CONCLUSIONS

REN may offer a safe and effective non-pharmacological alternative for acute treatment in adolescents.

Auricular acupuncture for migraine: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Migraines are caused by neurological and vascular dysfunction, with a side or both sides of the head pain recurrent attack, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, light, and sound allergy as the characteristics, is the clinical common disease, frequently occurring disease. The incidence of migraine is 8.4% to 28% worldwide (highest in Germany), and the lifetime incidence is about 14.0%. About 18.2% for women and 6.5% for men, About 23 percent of families have at least one migraine sufferer. It can occur at any age, and more than half of patients have headaches that interfere with work or school, while nearly a third may miss work or school because of the headache. Therefore, how to relief headache immediately and reduce the impact on life and work, becomes the basic clinical appeal of many patients. Analgesics are the main treatment for migraine in western medicine, many patients, who worried about the side effects of drugs, often take them only when the pain is unbearable, which can only treat the symptoms rather than the root causes. Auricular acupuncture as a form of acupuncture therapy which is proved to be effective in RCTs and very suitable for patients, has been used in patients who suffer from migraine for a long time, therefore a systematic review is necessary to provide available evidence for further study.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The following databases will be searched from their inception to September 2020: Electronic database includes PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Nature, Science online, VIP medicine information, and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure). Primary outcomes: Score of migraine symptoms. Additional outcomes: The overall effective rate. Data will be extracted by two researchers independently, risk of bias of the meta-analysis will be evaluated based on the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. All data analysis will be conducted by data statistics software Review Manager V.5.3. and Stata V.12.0.

RESULTS

The results of this study will systematically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of auricular acupuncture intervention for people with migraine.

CONCLUSION

The systematic review of this study will summarize the current published evidence of auricular acupuncture for the treatment of migraine, which can further guide the promotion and application of it.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study is a systematic review, the outcomes are based on the published evidence, so examination and agreement by the ethics committee are not required in this study. We intend to publish the study results in a journal or conference presentations.

OPEN SCIENCE FRA NETWORK (OSF) REGISTRATION NUMBER

October 2, 2020 osf.io/q6arf. (https://osf.io/q6arf/.).

Efficacy and safety of galcanezumab for prevention of migraine headache in Japanese patients with episodic migraine: A phase 2 randomized controlled clinical trial

Objective:

This study was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of galcanezumab in comparison with placebo for the prevention of migraine in Japanese patients with episodic migraine.

Methods:

In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, which was conducted over 6 months, randomized adult patients received subcutaneous injections of galcanezumab (120 mg n = 115, 240 mg n = 114) or placebo ( n = 230) once monthly. The primary endpoint was the overall mean change from baseline in the number of monthly migraine headache days. The key secondary outcome measures were response rates (≥50%, ≥75%, and 100%); the Migraine-Specific Quality-of-Life Questionnaire Role Function-Restrictive score; monthly migraine headache days requiring acute treatment; and Patient Global Impression of Severity (PGI-S).

Results:

The mean change from baseline in monthly migraine headache days over months 1–6 was significantly ( p < 0.001) greater for the 120-mg galcanezumab dose (−3.60 days) and the 240-mg galcanezumab dose (−3.36 days) compared with placebo (−0.59 days). Both the 120-mg and 240-mg doses of galcanezumab were superior compared with placebo for each of the key secondary endpoints except for PGI-S (only the 240-mg dose was superior). The most commonly reported treatment-emergent adverse events were local injection-site reactions; erythema, swelling, pruritus, and pain were more commonly reported by patients who were treated with galcanezumab than those treated with placebo.

Conclusion:

The number of monthly migraine headache days was reduced with both doses of galcanezumab, and both doses were safe and well tolerated in Japanese patients with episodic migraine.

Multidimensional assessment of the effects of erenumab in chronic migraine patients with previous unsuccessful preventive treatments: a comprehensive real-world experience

BACKGROUND

erenumab was safe and effective in clinical trials for the prevention of migraine. However, real-life data are still lacking. Here we report the clinical experience from an Italian real-world setting using erenumab in patients with chronic migraine experiencing previous unsuccessful preventive treatments.

METHODS

Seventy patients with chronic migraine and failure to ≥4 migraine preventive medication classes initially received monthly erenumab 70 mg s.c. Patients without a clinically meaningful improvement, considered as a > 30% reduction in headache days per month, after ≥3 months of therapy switched to monthly erenumab 140 mg. At the first administration and after 3 and 6 months, patients underwent extensive interviews to assess clinical parameters of disease severity and migraine-related disability and impact, and validated questionnaires to explore depression/anxiety, sleep, and quality of life (QoL). Finally, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Allodynia Symptom Checklist-12 and MIGraine attacks-Subjective COGnitive impairments scale (MIG-SCOG) were administered.

RESULTS

70% of patients were "responders" after the third administration of erenumab 70 mg, whereas 30% switched to erenumab 140 mg; 29% (6 pts) responded after the sixth administration. The headache-day frequency was reduced from 21.1 ± 0.7 to 11.4 ± 0.9 days after the third administration (p < 0.001) and to 8.9 ± 0.7 days after the sixth administration (p < 0.001). 53% and 70% of patients, respectively, showed a reduction of ≥50% of headache days/month after the third and the sixth administrations. Also improved were headache pain severity, migraine-related disability, and impact on daily living, QoL, pain catastrophizing and allodynia (all p < 0.001), quality of sleep, symptoms of depression or anxiety (p < 0.05) but not MIG-SCOG. There were no new adverse event signals.

CONCLUSION

These real-world data support monthly erenumab 70 or 140 mg s.c. as a safe and effective preventive treatment to reduce headache frequency and severity in chronic migraine patients experiencing previous unsuccessful preventive treatments.

Quality of life of migraine patients followed in neurology clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Migraine is a chronic disorder that negatively affects a patient's quality of life (QOL). As little is known about the QOL of migraine sufferers in Saudi Arabia, our aim was to investigate the QOL and the level of migraine-associated disability of migraine patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted in neurology clinics at King Abdulaziz Medical City for National Guard and Prince Sultan Military Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from August to December 2018. The migraine-specific QOL questionnaire (MSQ), version 2.1, was used to measure restrictive, preventive, and emotional domains. The sum of the item responses ranged between 0 and 100, with higher scores indicating better QOL. A descriptive analysis of numerical variables was reported in terms of means and standard deviation, while categorical variables were described using frequencies and percentages.

RESULTS

A total of 300 migraine patients completed the questionnaire; 67% were females. Age of participants ranged from 20 to 53 years, with mean age of 34.21 (SD=7.26). The mean score in the QOL restrictive domain was 51.8 ± 19, whereas the mean scores for preventive and emotional domains were 54 ± 18 and 46.3 ± 23.4, respectively. Low QOL scores were associated with young ages, long disease duration, frequent migraine attacks, and presence of chronic diseases.

CONCLUSION

Chronic migraine has a negative impact on QOL, predominantly in young patients, patients with frequent attacks, those not using preventive medications, and those suffering from chronic diseases.

Characterization of Ubrogepant: A Potent and Selective Antagonist of the Human Calcitonin Gene‒Related Peptide Receptor

A growing body of evidence has implicated the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptors in migraine pathophysiology. With the recent approval of monoclonal antibodies targeting CGRP or the CGRP receptor, the inhibition of CGRP-mediated signaling has emerged as a promising approach for preventive treatments of migraine in adults. However, there are no small-molecule anti-CGRP treatments available for treating migraine. The current studies aimed to characterize the pharmacologic properties of ubrogepant, an orally bioavailable, CGRP receptor antagonist for the acute treatment of migraine. In a series of ligand binding assays, ubrogepant exhibited a high binding affinity for native (K i=0.067 nM) and cloned human (K i=0.070 nM) and rhesus CGRP receptors (K i=0.079 nM), with relatively lower affinities for CGRP receptors from rat, mouse, rabbit and dog. In functional assays, ubrogepant potently blocked human α-CGRP stimulated cAMP response (IC50 of 0.08 nM) and exhibited highly selective antagonist activity for the CGRP receptor compared with other members of the human calcitonin receptor family. Furthermore, the in vivo CGRP receptor antagonist activity of ubrogepant was evaluated in a pharmacodynamic model of capsaicin-induced dermal vasodilation (CIDV) in rhesus monkeys and humans. Results demonstrated that ubrogepant produced concentration-dependent inhibition of CIDV with a mean EC50 of 3.2 and 2.6 nM in rhesus monkeys and humans, respectively. Brain penetration studies with ubrogepant in monkeys showed a CSF/plasma ratio of 0.03 and low CGRP receptor occupancy. In summary, ubrogepant is a competitive antagonist with high affinity, potency, and selectivity for the human CGRP receptor. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Ubrogepant is a potent, selective, orally delivered, small-molecule competitive antagonist of the human calcitonin generelated peptide receptor. In vivo studies using a pharmacodynamic model of capsaicin-induced dermal vasodilation (CIDV) in rhesus monkeys and humans demonstrated that ubrogepant produced concentration-dependent inhibition of CIDV, indicating a predictable pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship.

Placebo and nocebo phenomena in anti- CGRP monoclonal antibody trials for migraine prevention: a meta-analysis

High placebo and low nocebo phenomena mirror high positive expectations for a novel treatment, among other reasons. In a meta-analysis aimed to identify placebo and nocebo phenomena in the placebo-controlled randomized trials (RCTs) with the monoclonal antibodies targeting the calcitonin gene-related peptide pathway (anti-CGRP mAbs) all the placebo-treated patients were pooled and compared with the placebo-treated patients in RCTs with topiramate and onabotulinum toxin A (OBTA). In episodic migraine (EM), the proportion of placebo-treated patients who achieved the 50% responder rate (placebo) was 32.7% (95% CI 28.6%-37.0%) in anti-CGRP mAbs vs. 24.4% (95% CI 20.5%-28.5%) in topiramate trials. The proportion of dropouts due to adverse events in placebo-treated patients (nocebo) was 1.9% (95% CI 1.4%-2.6%) in anti-CGRP mAbs vs. 9.9% (95% CI 7.7%-12.3%) in topiramate RCTs. In chronic migraine (CM), the placebo 50% responder rate was 23.6% (95% CI 11.2%-38.8%) in anti-CGRP mAbs RCTs vs. 36.4% (95% CI 32.6%-39.3%) in RCTs with OBTA. The nocebo dropout in anti-CGRP mAbs and OBTA RCTs was 1.4% (95% CI 0.8%-2.1%) and 0.9 (95% CI 0.3%-1.7%), respectively. The stronger placebo and weaker nocebo phenomena in RCTs with anti-CGRP mAbs vs. those with topiramate in the prophylaxis of EM, may decisively determine anti-CGRP mAbs treatment success. No differences were detected between the anti-CGRP mAbs and OBTA in the treatment of CM.

Migraine: a brain state amenable to therapy

Migraine affects over a billion people worldwide in any year and is the second most common cause of years lost due to disability. Not "just a headache", morbidity washes though society and carries a substantial economic and social cost. Understanding of migraine pathophysiology has progressed significantly. Animal models and functional neuroimaging have yielded significant insight into brain structures that mediate migraine symptoms. The role of small peptides as neurotransmitters within this network has been elucidated, allowing the generation of novel therapeutic approaches that have been validated by randomised placebo-controlled trials. Migraine is underdiagnosed and undertreated. Treatment of migraine should be proactive. An acute and, when indicated, preventive strategy should be formulated with the patient. Comorbid medication overuse must be supportively managed. Migraine-specific medications are making their way from bench to bedside. They promise an improved safety profile and ease of use in comparison to older, repurposed medications. Devices promise a non-drug alternative should patients prefer. The migraine understanding and treatment landscape is changing rapidly.

Health state utilities associated with attributes of migraine preventive treatments based on patient and general population preferences

PURPOSE

While previous studies have estimated health state utilities associated with migraine severity and frequency, migraine treatments vary in other ways that may have an impact on patients' quality of life, preference, and utility. The purpose of this study was to estimate utilities associated with migraine treatment attributes including route of administration and treatment-related adverse events (AEs).

METHODS

In time trade-off interviews, migraine patients and general population participants in the UK valued health state vignettes drafted based on literature, medication labels, and clinician interviews. All respondents valued migraine health states varying in route of administration. Each participant also valued eight health states (randomly selected from a total of 15) that added the description of an AE to a migraine health state.

RESULTS

A total of 400 participants completed interviews (200 general population [49.0% female; mean age = 43.6 years]; 200 migraine patients [74.5% female; mean age = 45.8 years]). In the general population sample, mean utilities of health states without aura were 0.79 with daily oral medication, 0.78 with one injection per month, and 0.72 with 31-39 injections once every 3 months. The greatest disutilities (i.e., decreases in utility) were for AEs associated with oral medications (e.g., - 0.060 [fatigue] and - 0.098 [brain fog]). Differences among health states followed the same pattern in the patient sample as in the general population sample.

CONCLUSIONS

Utilities estimated from the general population sample may be used to represent route of administration and AEs in cost-utility models. Results from the patient sample indicate that these treatment characteristics have an impact on patient preference.

Efficacy, safety, and tolerability of rimegepant orally disintegrating tablet for the acute treatment of migraine: a randomised, phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Rimegepant, a small molecule calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist, has shown efficacy in the acute treatment of migraine using a standard tablet formulation. The objective of this trial was to compare the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a novel orally disintegrating tablet formulation of rimegepant at 75 mg with placebo in the acute treatment of migraine.

METHODS

In this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, multicentre phase 3 trial, adults aged 18 years or older with history of migraine of at least 1 year were recruited to 69 study centres in the USA. Participants were randomly assigned to receive rimegepant (75 mg orally disintegrating tablet) or placebo and instructed to treat a single migraine attack of moderate or severe pain intensity. The randomisation was stratified by the use of prophylactic medication (yes or no), and was carried out using an interactive web response system that was accessed by each clinical site. All participants, investigators, and the sponsor were masked to treatment group assignment. The coprimary endpoints were freedom from pain and freedom from the most bothersome symptom at 2 h postdose. The efficacy analyses used the modified intention-to-treat population, which included all patients who were randomly assigned, had a migraine attack with pain of moderate or severe intensity, took a dose of rimegepant or placebo, and had at least one efficacy assessment after administration of the dose. The safety analyses included all randomly assigned participants who received at least one dose of study medication. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT03461757, and is closed to accrual.

FINDINGS

Between Feb 27 and Aug 28, 2018, 1811 participants were recruited and assessed for eligibility. 1466 participants were randomly assigned to the rimegepant (n=732) or placebo (n=734) groups, of whom 1375 received treatment with rimegepant (n=682) or placebo (n=693), and 1351 were evaluated for efficacy (rimegepant n=669, placebo n=682). At 2 h postdose, rimegepant orally disintegrating tablet was superior to placebo for freedom from pain (21% vs 11%, p<0·0001; risk difference 10, 95% CI 6-14) and freedom from the most bothersome symptom (35% vs 27%, p=0·0009; risk difference 8, 95% CI 3-13). The most common adverse events were nausea (rimegepant n=11 [2%]; placebo n=3 [<1%]) and urinary tract infection (rimegepant n=10 [1%]; placebo n=4 [1%]). One participant in each treatment group had a transaminase concentration of more than 3 × the upper limit of normal; neither was related to study medication, and no elevations in bilirubin greater than 2 × the upper limit of normal were reported. Treated participants reported no serious adverse events.

INTERPRETATION

In the acute treatment of migraine, a single 75 mg dose of rimegepant in an orally disintegrating tablet formulation was more effective than placebo. Tolerability was similar to placebo, with no safety concerns.

FUNDING

Biohaven Pharmaceuticals.

Shortcomings and missed potentials in the management of migraine patients - experiences from a specialized tertiary care center

Background

Migraine is a common and severely disabling neurological disorder affecting millions of patients in Europe. Despite the availability of evidence-based national and international guidelines, the management of migraine patients often remains poor, which is often attributed to a low availability of headache specialists. The aim of this study was to investigate the adherence to national guidelines and to assess the possible potential of optimized therapy regimens in migraine patients.

Methods

We collected data of migraine patients presenting to our out-patient clinic via standardized questionnaires regarding headache, diagnostics and experience with previous treatments. We also assessed the efficacy of treatment started by our center.

Results

1,935 migraine patients were included between 2010 and 2018. In the 12 months before consulting our headache clinic 89.5% of the patients had consulted a general practitioner and 74.9% had consulted a neurologist because of their migraine. Nevertheless, 50% of the patients underwent unnecessary diagnostics and 34.2% had not been treated according to evidence-based treatment guidelines. Out of 1,031 patients who had not been prescribed a preventative treatment 627 (60.8%) had in average 3 or more migraine attacks per month and thus qualified for a preventative treatment. These patients missed in the 3 months prior to consultation on average 5 work or school days. Initiating a preventative treatment was effective in 71.2% of the patients, that provided follow-up data.

Conclusions

Our data suggest, that many migraine patients to this day do not receive state-of-the-art therapy. Adherence to national and international European guidelines could improve the outcome in migraine patients. Future research should try to answer why guidelines are not followed.

Onset of efficacy and duration of response of galcanezumab for the prevention of episodic migraine: a post-hoc analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

As new migraine prevention treatments are developed, the onset of a preventive effect, how long it is maintained and whether patients initially non-responsive develop clinically meaningful responses with continued treatment can be assessed.

METHODS

Analyses were conducted post-hoc of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II-a study in patients with episodic migraine receiving galcanezumab 150 mg or placebo biweekly for 12 weeks (Lancet Neurol 13:885, 2014). The number of migraine headache days per week, and onset of efficacy measured as the first week galacanezumab separated from placebo were determined. Patients with ≥50%, ≥75% and 100% reduction in migraine headache days from baseline at months 1, 2 and 3 were calculated and defined as sustained responses. Non-responders (<50% response) at month 1 or 2 who then showed ≥50%, ≥75% and 100% response at later time-points were calculated.

RESULTS

Patients were randomised to galcanezumab (n=107) or placebo (n=110). A significant (p=0.018) change of -0.89±0.11 (galcanezumab) vs -0.53±0.11 (placebo) migraine headache days indicated onset at week 1. Forty-seven per cent of galcanezumab and 25% of placebo patients responding at month 1 maintained response through months 2 and 3. Of non-responders at month 1, 27% on galcanezumab and 20% on placebo responded on months 2 and 3, and 50% of galcanezumab non-responders in months 1 and 2 responded on month 3, vs 24% on placebo.

CONCLUSIONS

The onset of efficacy of galcanezumab is within 1 week in a majority of patients, and patients receiving galcanezumab are twice more likely to maintain responses than placebo patients. Early non-responders may respond by month 2 or month 3.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT01625988.