A narrative review on the burden of migraine: when the burden is the impact on people's life

Real-world effectiveness and safety of erenumab for the treatment of migraine: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Migraine is a common and disabling primary headache disorder. Several drugs targeting calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), such as erenumab (an anti-CGRP receptor mAb), have been developed recently. However, the real-world effects of erenumab are not well understood.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the clinical effectiveness and safety of erenumab for reducing migraine intensity and frequency in the real world.

METHODS

A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library was conducted from inception to December 2023. Studies estimating the real-world effect of erenumab on monthly migraine days (MMD), monthly headache days (MHD), headache impact test (HIT-6), number of days in medication (NDM), acute monthly intake (AMI), pain intensity (PI) and safety outcomes were included. Meta-analyses of proportions or mean differences were performed.

RESULTS

Fifty-three studies were included. At 3-months, the effect was -7.18 days for MMD, -6.89 days for MHD, -6.97 for HIT-6, -6.22 days for NDM, -15.75 for AMI, and -1.71 for PI. Generally, the effect at 6- and 12-months increased slightly and gradually. The MMD/MHD response rates revealed that approximately one-third of patients exhibited a response greater than 30%, while one-sixth demonstrated a response exceeding 50%. Additionally, 3-4% of patients achieved a response rate of 100%. Adverse event rates were 0.34 and 0.43 at 6- and 12-months, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study provides strong evidence of the effectiveness and safety of erenumab in the real world; to our knowledge, this is the first real-world meta-analysis specific to erenumab. Erenumab represents a solid therapeutic option for physicians.

Neuroimmunological effects of omega-3 fatty acids on migraine: a review

Migraine is a highly prevalent disease worldwide, imposing enormous clinical and economic burdens on individuals and societies. Current treatments exhibit limited efficacy and acceptability, highlighting the need for more effective and safety prophylactic approaches, including the use of nutraceuticals for migraine treatment. Migraine involves interactions within the central and peripheral nervous systems, with significant activation and sensitization of the trigeminovascular system (TVS) in pain generation and transmission. The condition is influenced by genetic predispositions and environmental factors, leading to altered sensory processing. The neuroinflammatory response is increasingly recognized as a key event underpinning the pathophysiology of migraine, involving a complex neuro-glio-vascular interplay. This interplay is partially mediated by neuropeptides such as calcitonin gene receptor peptide (CGRP), pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) and/or cortical spreading depression (CSD) and involves oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, nucleotide-binding domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome formation, activated microglia, and reactive astrocytes. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), crucial for the nervous system, mediate various physiological functions. Omega-3 PUFAs offer cardiovascular, neurological, and psychiatric benefits due to their potent anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive, antioxidant, and neuromodulatory properties, which modulate neuroinflammation, neurogenic inflammation, pain transmission, enhance mitochondrial stability, and mood regulation. Moreover, specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), a class of PUFA-derived lipid mediators, regulate pro-inflammatory and resolution pathways, playing significant anti-inflammatory and neurological roles, which in turn may be beneficial in alleviating the symptomatology of migraine. Omega-3 PUFAs impact various neurobiological pathways and have demonstrated a lack of major adverse events, underscoring their multifaceted approach and safety in migraine management. Although not all omega-3 PUFAs trials have shown beneficial in reducing the symptomatology of migraine, further research is needed to fully establish their clinical efficacy and understand the precise molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of omega-3 PUFAs and PUFA-derived lipid mediators, SPMs on migraine pathophysiology and progression. This review highlights their potential in modulating brain functions, such as neuroimmunological effects, and suggests their promise as candidates for effective migraine prophylaxis.

Prevalence and burden of migraine in the United States: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

This study reviewed migraine prevalence and disability gathered through epidemiologic survey studies in the United States conducted over the past three decades. We summarized these studies and evaluated changing patterns of disease prevalence and disability.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review of US studies addressing the prevalence, disability, and/or burden of migraine, including both episodic migraine (EM) and chronic migraine (CM). A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol was used in conjunction with the PubMed search engine. Eligible studies were published before February 2022, were conducted in the United States, included representative samples, and used a case definition of migraine based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD). The primary measure of disease burden was the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS). The MIDAS measures days lost due to migraine over 3 months in three domains and defines groups with moderate (Grade III) or severe disability (Grade IV) using cut-scores.

RESULTS

Of the 1609 identified records, 26 publications from 11 US population-based studies met eligibility criteria. The prevalence of migraine in the population has remained relatively consistent for the past 30 years: ranging from 11.7% to 14.7% overall, 17.1% to 19.2% in women, and 5.6% to 7.2% in men in the studies reviewed. CM prevalence is 0.91% (1.3% among women and 0.5% of men) in adults and 0.8% in adolescents. The proportion of people with migraine and moderate-to-severe MIDAS disability (Grades III-IV), has trended upward across studies from 22.0% in 2005 to 39.0% in 2012, to 43.2% in 2016, and 42.4% in 2018. A consistently higher proportion of women were assigned MIDAS Grades III/IV relative to men.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of migraine in the United States has remained stable over the past three decades while migraine-related disability has increased. The disability trend could reflect changes in reporting, study methodology, social and societal changes, or changes in exacerbating or remediating factors that make migraine more disabling, among other hypotheses. These issues merit further investigation.

Reducing the Impact of Headache and Allodynia Score in Chronic Migraine: An Exploratory Analysis from the Real-World Effectiveness of Anti-CGRP Monoclonal Antibodies Compared to Onabotulinum Toxin A (RAMO) Study

BACKGROUND

Chronic migraine (CM) is a disabling and hard-to-treat condition, associated with high disability and high cost. Among the preventive treatments, botulinum toxin A (BoNT-a) and monoclonal antibodies against the calcitonin gene-related protein (anti-CGRP mAbs) are the only disease-specific ones. The assessment of the disease burden is complex, and among others, tools such as the allodynia symptoms checklist (ASC-12) and headache impact test (HIT-6) are very useful. This exploratory study analysed the impact of these two therapies on migraine burden.

METHODS

The RAMO study was a multicentre, observational, retrospective investigation conducted in two headache centres: the Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta (Milan) and the Fondazione Policlinico Campus Bio-Medico (Rome). This study involved patients with chronic migraine treated with mAbs or BoNT-A. We conducted a subgroup exploratory analysis on HIT-6 and ASC-12 scores in the two groups. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test, Fisher's exact test, and ANOVA were performed.

RESULTS

Of 126 patients, 36 on mAbs and 90 on BoNT-A had at least one available follow-up. mAbs resulted in a mean reduction of -11.1 and -11.4 points, respectively, in the HIT-6 at 6 and 12 months, while BoNT-A was reduced -3.2 and -3.6 points, respectively; the mAbs arm resulted in mean reductions in ASC-12 at 6 and 12 months of follow-up of -5.2 and -6.0 points, respectively, while BoNT-A showed lesser mean changes of -0.5 and -0.9 points, respectively. The adjusted analysis confirmed our results.

CONCLUSIONS

In this exploratory analysis, anti-CGRP mAbs showed superior effectiveness for HIT-6 and ASC12 compared to BoNT-A. Reductions in terms of month headache days (MHD), migraine disability assessment test (MIDAS), and migraine acute medications (MAM) were clinically relevant for both treatments.

The transition of medication overuse status by acute medication categories in episodic or chronic migraine patients to non-overuse status after receiving anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies: a systematic review and meta-analysis of phase 3 randomized control trial

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine whether patients with episodic (EM) or chronic migraine (CM), who were treated with anti-CGRP antibodies, showed a reversal from medication overuse (MO) or medication overuse headache (MOH) status at their baseline to non-overuse status. Furthermore, this study aimed to establish which acute headache medication (AHM) categories responded more effectively to anti-CGRP antibodies.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed database for relevant studies from January 2013 to September 2023. We included phase three randomized controlled trials to examine the role of anti-CGRP antibodies in patients with EM or CM and their MO status. A meta-analysis was conducted to find the association between anti-CGRP antibodies and the number of EM and CM patients with MO or MOH at baseline that reverted to non-MO status or below the MOH threshold.

RESULTS

The initial search yielded a total of 345 studies. After removing duplicates and screening with inclusion criteria, 5 studies fulfilled our conditions. Each study reviewed the response to changes in the MO status of patients after receiving anti-CGRP antibodies, including eptinezumab, fremanezumab, galcanezumab, and erenumab, compared to placebo. Our study analyzed three AHM categories: triptans, simple analgesics, and multiple drugs. The overall relative risk (RR) was 1.44 (95% CI, 1.31 to 1.59; p < 0.001). The RRs for triptans, simple analgesics, and multi-drug groups were 1.71 (95% CI, 1.53 to 1.91; p < 0.001), 1.10 (95% CI, 0.83 to 1.47; p = 0.5), and 1.29 (95%CI 1.14 to 1.46; p < 0.001) respectively.

CONCLUSION

The meta-analysis has shown that anti-CGRP antibodies were statistically significant in transitioning from MO or MOH status to non-MO status or below the MOH threshold (RR = 1.44) for all included studies and all AHM categories except for simple analgesics. Patients from the triptan group had the highest RR of 1.71 with a p-value < 0.001, while the simple analgesics group had an RR of 1.10, however, with a p-value > 0.05. Interestingly, this analysis can be interpreted as that anti-CGRP antibodies might not be effective in reducing simple analgesics use in EM or CM patients. Further studies are needed to investigate these matters.

Eptinezumab for the preventive treatment of episodic and chronic migraine: a narrative review

Eptinezumab, a monoclonal antibody that targets calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), was recently approved in Europe for the prophylactic treatment of migraine in adults who have at least four migraine days a month. Eptinezumab is administered by intravenous infusion every 12 weeks. During recent months, a considerable amount of evidence from eptinezumab trials has been published. The aim of this review is to describe the existing evidence on the tolerability, safety and efficacy of eptinezumab in patients with migraine. Data from randomized (PROMISE-1, PROMISE-2, RELIEF and DELIVER) and open-label (PREVAIL) phase 3 clinical trials have demonstrated the favorable effect of eptinezumab in migraine symptoms from first day of treatment. These studies showed that eptinezumab results in an overall reduction in mean monthly migraine days (MMDs), increases in the ≥50% and ≥ 75% migraine responder rates (MRRs) and improvements in patient-reported outcome measures in both patients with episodic migraine (EM) and with chronic migraine (CM), including patients who failed previous preventive treatments. The RELIEF trial also showed that eptinezumab, within 2 h of administration, reduced headache pain, migraine-associated symptoms and acute medication use when administered during a migraine attack. Eptinezumab benefits manifested as early as day 1 after dosing and with the subsequent doses lasted up to at least 2 years. Treatment-emergent adverse events reported by ≥2% of patients included upper respiratory tract infection and fatigue. Current evidence demonstrates that eptinezumab has a potent, fast-acting, sustained migraine preventive effect in patients with EM and CM. Eptinezumab has also shown to be well tolerated, supporting its use in the treatment of patients with migraine and inclusion in the current migraine therapeutic options.

The impact of primary headaches on disability outcomes: a literature review and meta-analysis to inform future iterations of the Global Burden of Disease study

BACKGROUND

The burden and disability associated with headaches are conceptualized and measured differently at patients' and populations' levels. At the patients' level, through patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs); at population level, through disability weights (DW) and years lived with a disability (YLDs) developed by the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD). DW are 0-1 coefficients that address health loss and have been defined through lay descriptions. With this literature review, we aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of disability in headache disorders, and to present a coefficient referring to patients' disability which might inform future GBD definitions of DW for headache disorders.

METHODS

We searched SCOPUS and PubMed for papers published between 2015 and 2023 addressing disability in headache disorders. The selected manuscript included a reference to headache frequency and at least one PROM. A meta-analytic approach was carried out to address relevant differences for the most commonly used PROMs (by headache type, tertiles of medication intake, tertiles of females' percentage in the sample, and age). We developed a 0-1 coefficient based on the MIDAS, on the HIT-6, and on MIDAS + HIT-6 which was intended to promote future DW iterations by the GBD consortium.

RESULTS

A total of 366 studies, 596 sub-samples, and more than 133,000 single patients were available, mostly referred to cases with migraine. Almost all PROMs showed the ability to differentiate disability severity across conditions and tertiles of medication intake. The indexes we developed can be used to inform future iterations of DW, in particular considering their ability to differentiate across age and tertiles of medication intake.

CONCLUSIONS

Our review provides reference values for the most commonly used PROMS and a data-driven coefficient whose main added value is its ability to differentiate across tertiles of age and medication intake which underlie on one side the increased burden due to aging (it is likely connected to the increased impact of common comorbidities), and by the other side the increased burden due to medication consumption, which can be considered as a proxy for headache severity. Both elements should be considered when describing disability of headache disorders at population levels.

Real-world effectiveness of erenumab in Japanese patients with migraine

Background

Real-world evidence of erenumab effectiveness in migraine patients in Asia with various comorbidities and multiple previous medication failures is still limited.

Methods

A 6-month single-center cohort study of 45 patients with episodic or chronic migraine (CM) treated with erenumab was conducted. In the cohort, 60.0% were switching from other calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies (CGRP mAbs), and 66.7% had ≥4 prophylaxis failures. The change in monthly migraine days (MMDs) from baseline and percentages of responders after treatment were calculated. Weekly migraine days (WMDs) were obtained at baseline and at months 1, 2 and 3 and were compared between weeks 2 and 4.

Results

In total, 36%, 47%, and 63% of patients had a ≥30% response at 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively. The cumulative percentage of patients achieving a ≥30% response over 6 months was 85%. Early responders (average ≥ 30% response at 1-3 months) accounted for 37.8%, 55.6%, and 25.9% of the total, CGRP mAb-naïve, and CGRP mAb-switching groups, respectively. Late responders (average < 30% response at 1-3 months and average ≥ 30% response at 4-6 months) accounted for 46.4%, 37.5%, and 58.8% of nonearly responders in the total, CGRP mAb-naïve, and CGRP mAb-switching groups, respectively. Mild adverse reactions were observed in 5 patients (11.1%). Wearing-off, defined as an increase in the number of WMDs ≥2 between week 2 and week 4, was observed in 2.4-12.5% at months 1-3.

Conclusion

Erenumab was effective in migraine patients. At least 4-6 months may be preferable for efficacy evaluation in patients switching to erenumab from other CGRP mAbs.

Effects of OnabotulinumtoxinA on Allodynia and Interictal Burden of Patients with Chronic Migraine

BACKGROUND

We primarily aimed to ascertain whether treatment with OnabotulinumtoxinA (BoNTA) might influence the extent of the interictal burden and cutaneous allodynia in patients with chronic migraine (CM).

METHODS

Seventy CM patients, who received three consecutive cycles of BoNTA, were studied. The interictal burden was assessed with the Migraine Interictal Burden Scale (MIBS-4), while cutaneous allodynia was examined with the Allodynia Symptom Checklist (ASC-12) together with PI-NRS VAS to obtain hair brushing scores, and then these were compared from baseline (T0) to the last efficacy evaluation follow-up (T1). Efficacy outcomes, mostly mean headache days (MHD) and "Headache Impact Test" scores, were also assessed between T0 and T1.

RESULTS

BONTA improved the interictal burden, with a decrease in MIBS-4 scoring by an average of -7 at T1, compared to baseline (p < 0.001). The percentage of patients with a moderate/severe interictal burden was substantially decreased. Likewise, BoNTA reduced the extent of cutaneous allodynia, with a significant reduction in both the ASC-12 (1 vs. 6; p < 0.001) and PI-NRS VAS (1 vs. 5; p < 0.001) to hair brushing median scores at T1, compared to baseline. Reduced MHD rates were significantly associated with a smaller interictal burden at T1. The efficacy of BoNTA, with a significant reduction in MHD and HIT-6 scores at T1 compared to T0, was re-confirmed.

CONCLUSIONS

BoNTA resulted in a statistically significant reduction in the interictal burden and also improved cutaneous allodynia. The reduction in ictal burden was associated with the down-scaling of the interictal burden. Hence, BoNTA improved the full spectrum of migraine impairment by diminishing the clinical expression of central sensitization.

Evidence-Based Opinions from Multidisciplinary Experts on Use of Naturopathic Herbal Remedies in Pain Management

Background

Pharmacological approaches to acute and chronic pain management, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioids, are respectively associated with adverse reactions (such as gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and renal effects) that might limit their use in patients with comorbidities and controversy related to inappropriate use. Naturopathic remedies might offer patients alternative and integrative treatments with minimal side effects.

Objective

To explore the regional variation in the acceptance and use of naturopathic remedies in pain management.

Methods

Two expert panel discussions were held by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (now Haleon Pte. Ltd.) over 9 and 12 hours in 2020 and 2021, respectively, and attended by multidisciplinary experts in naturopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, community pharmacy, physiotherapy, clinical pharmacy, Western medicine, academics, and naturopathic pain relief. Experts shared and discussed their experiences of naturopathic treatments and relevant clinical evidence related to different types of pain (including joint and muscle pain, migraine, sleeplessness due to pain, and general pain) and examined barriers to providing support to patients.

Results

Experts agreed on the potential for curcumin (2020, 71.4% [5/7]; 2021, 91.7% [11/12]) and fish oil (2020, 100% [7/7]) for management of osteoarthritic joint pain although these are not uniformly recommended in osteoarthritis treatment guidelines. In treatment of migraines, coenzyme Q10 and magnesium were favored by experts (2021, 90.9% [10/11] and 63.6% [7/11], respectively).

Conclusion

The need was emphasized for more and higher quality clinical studies to support naturopathic remedies, which might not be reflected in the latest treatment guidelines. The expert panel also highlighted missed opportunities for physicians and pharmacists to recommend effective naturopathic treatments.

Role of wet-cupping therapy in physiological and mental pains in patients with migraine: A quasi-clinical trial

BACKGROUND

There is growing evidence of the potential benefits of wet-cupping therapy in reducing physiological pain severity in migraine; however, the role of this therapy on mental pain is unclear in this process. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effectiveness of wet-cupping therapy on physiological and mental pains in patients with migraine. In this study, 72 migraine patients were treated with wet-cupping therapy and followed up after 1 month.

METHODS

The severity of physiological and mental pain was measured before therapy, 10 minutes and 1 month following therapy.

RESULTS

The study showed that patients in the wet-cupping therapy had a significantly lower mean value of physiological (0.42 vs 3.39; P < .001) and mental pain (1.60 vs 3.06; P < .001) compared to the patients in the control group, respectively. The mean value of the physiological was significantly decreased from 6.97 (baseline) to 0.73 (10 minutes) and 0.63 (1 month; P < .001) in the wet-cupping therapy patients, and the mean value of mental pain from 3.76 (baseline) to 0.71 (10 minutes) and 1.71 (1 month; P < .001). The mean values of physiological and mental pains were significantly reduced (from 7.80-3.39; P < .001) and (from 3.48-3.06; P = .0044), respectively. The level of physiological pain severity was significantly decreased with a decreasing level of mental pain severity at the posttest within the control (r = 0.5471; P = .0002) and the wet-cupping therapy (r = 0.3814; P .0412).

CONCLUSION

This study showed that the physiological pain was controlled by the mental pain in the wet-cupping therapy.

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Henry Ford Hospital Headache Disability Inventory (HDI/T) in patients with cervicogenic headache

PURPOSE

Cultural adaptation to Henry Ford Hospital Headache Disability Inventory (HDI) and investigating the validity and reliability of this inventory.

METHODS

International standards were followed in conducting the cultural adaption of Henry Ford Hospital Headache Disability Inventory Turkish version (HDI-T). Test-Retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) were included in the psychometric assessments; Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to assess the structural validity; and construct validity was performed by examining relationship the HDI-T between the Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT- 6), Neck Disability Index (NDI), Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS-14), and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP).

RESULTS

HDI-T showed excellent test-retest reliability (ICC =0.901), excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's a = 0.935), and low to high correlation with Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6), Neck Disability Index (NDI), Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS-14) and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). Following EFA, two factors (emotional and functional) were extracted, accounting for 50.734% of the total variation. The dimensional structure of the HDI-T obtained in the EFA was confirmed by CFA.

CONCLUSION

The HDI-T is a reliable and valid instrument to determine the symptoms and disability in the Turkish population with cervicogenic headaches.Implications for RehabilitationHenry Ford Hospital Headache Disability Inventory Turkish version (HDI-T) is an outcome measure with high validity and reliability to obtain objective data in the determination of disability due to cervicogenic headache.HDI-T is recommended for all rehabilitation professionals to evaluate both the disability levels before rehabilitation and the changes during the rehabilitation process in patients with cervicogenic headaches in the Turkish population.Physiotherapists, orthopedists and neurosurgeons can also use HDI-T to objectively evaluate the secondary effects of their treatment for neck problems.

The impacts of migraine on functioning: Results from two qualitative studies of people living with migraine

OBJECTIVE

To describe the impact of migraine on functioning based on comprehensive data collection, analysis, and reporting of patients' experiences.

BACKGROUND

Qualitative research conducted to understand patients' perspectives on living with migraine has often focused on narrow topics or specific groups of patients or has been selectively reported.

METHODS

Qualitative interviews with 71 participants were conducted during two concept elicitation studies as part of the Migraine Clinical Outcome Assessment System (MiCOAS) project, an FDA grant-funded program designed to develop a core set of patient-centered outcome measures for migraine clinical trials. Participants self-reported being diagnosed with migraine by a healthcare professional and participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews about their experiences with the symptoms and impacts of migraine. Interview transcripts were coded to identify and define concepts, which were then grouped into broad domains based on conceptual similarities.

RESULTS

A total of 66 concepts were identified: 12 for physical functioning, 16 for cognitive functioning, 10 for social role functioning, 19 for emotional and psychological functioning, and 9 related to migraine management. Participants described a complex and varied relationship between migraine attack symptoms and impacts on functioning. Impacts from migraine were further influenced by numerous contextual factors, such as people's individual social environments and the level of day-to-day demand for functioning they face.

CONCLUSION

Findings showed that migraine impacted individual functioning in multiple ways and the nature of these impacts was dependent on social-contextual factors. The results are being used in the development of core measures designed to improve our understanding of the burden of migraine and the efficacy of migraine therapies. The results also offer new insights and raise new questions about migraine experience that can be used to guide future research.

Migraine is associated with the development of adult patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a nationwide, population-based study

It has been reported that migraine is more common in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) than in general. However, the impact of migraine on the development of IBD has not yet been elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine the association between migraine and the development of IBD. This nationwide population-based cohort study was conducted using the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database. A total of 10,628,070 people aged 20 years or older who had undergone a national health examination conducted by the NHIS in 2009 were followed up until 2017. The study population was divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of migraine. We analyzed the incidence of newly developed IBD, Crohn's disease (CD), or ulcerative colitis (UC) during the follow-up period. The incidence of IBD was significantly higher in patients with migraine (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] with 95% confidence interval [95%CI] of 1.31 [1.173-1.468], p < 0.001), CD (aHR with 95%CI of 1.58 [1.237-2.013], p < 0.001) and UC (aHR with 95%CI of 1.26 [1.106-1.424], p < 0.001) than in those without migraine. After 5 years of follow-up, those with migraine showed curves implying cumulative incidences of IBD with a steep increase, especially for CD. In subgroup analysis, migraine was associated with the risk of UC in males (aHR, 1.431 vs. 1.117; interaction p = 0.042). Migraine is significantly associated with the development of IBD. Patients with migraine should be monitored carefully for the development of IBD.

Comparison of Treatment Patterns in Patients with Migraine Initiating Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Monoclonal Antibodies: A Retrospective Real-World US Study

Background

Calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies (CGRP mAbs) are indicated for migraine prevention in the United States. Limited data comparing real-world treatment patterns for CGRP mAbs are available.

Objective

To compare the treatment patterns among patients with migraine initiating galcanezumab, fremanezumab, and erenumab.

Methods

This retrospective study included adult patients with one or more claims for a self-injectable CGRP mAb (galcanezumab, fremanezumab, or erenumab), with continuous enrollment in medical and pharmacy benefits for 12 months pre-index and 6 and 12 months post-index using MerativeTM MarketScan® Commercial and Medicare databases from May 2017 through March 2021. Propensity-score matching was used to address confounding by observed covariates. Outcomes analyzed included proportion of days covered (PDC), medication-possession ratio (MPR), persistence (≤60-day gap), treatment discontinuation, and switch to a non-index drug. Descriptive X2 and t-test analyses were conducted.

Results

At the 12-month follow-up, matched galcanezumab and fremanezumab cohorts each comprised 2674 patients and the galcanezumab and erenumab cohorts 3503 each. The mean (SD) PDC and MPR were both 0.6 (0.3) across all cohorts. Based on PDC ≥0.80 and MPR ≥0.80, a greater proportion of galcanezumab vs fremanezumab (46.2% vs 43.7%, p=0.053; 46.8% vs 44.3%, p=0.053) and galcanezumab vs erenumab (46.2% vs 44%, p=0.156; 46.7% vs 44.5%, p=0.262), respectively, initiators were adherent. Compared to galcanezumab, fremanezumab (248.0 days vs 236.5 days, p=0.001), and erenumab (247.8 days vs 241.7 days, p=0.061) initiators had lower mean persistence. Galcanezumab initiators were less likely to discontinue treatment than fremanezumab (47.8% vs 51.7%, p=0.005) and erenumab (47.7% vs 50.2%, p=0.040) initiators. Across cohorts, most switchers initiated onabotulinum toxin A as subsequent treatment. Similar results were observed for 6-month follow-up cohorts.

Conclusion

Patients with migraine who initiated treatment with galcanezumab showed higher persistence and lower treatment discontinuation rates than those initiating either fremanezumab or erenumab.

The World Health Organization Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders and the headache revolution: from headache burden to a global action plan for headache disorders

The World Health Organization (WHO) Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders was developed by WHO to address the worldwide challenges and gaps in provision of care and services for people with epilepsy and other neurological disorders and to ensure a comprehensive, coordinated response across sectors to the burden of neurologic diseases and to promote brain health across life-course. Headache disorders constitute the second most burdensome of all neurological diseases after stroke, but the first if young and midlife adults are taken into account. Despite the availability of a range of treatments, disability associated with headache disorders, and with migraine, remains very high. In addition, there are inequalities between high-income and low and middle income countries in access to medical care. In line with several brain health initiatives following the WHOiGAP resolution, herein we tailor the main pillars of the action plan to headache disorders: (1) raising policy prioritization and strengthen governance; (2) providing effective, timely and responsive diagnosis, treatment and care; (3) implementing strategies for promotion and prevention; (4) fostering research and innovation and strengthen information systems. Specific targets for future policy actions are proposed. The Global Action Plan triggered a revolution in neurology, not only by increasing public awareness of brain disorders and brain health but also by boosting the number of neurologists in training, raising research funding and making neurology a public health priority for policy makers. Reducing the burden of headache disorders will not only improve the quality of life and wellbeing of people with headache but also reduce the burden of neurological disorders increasing global brain health and, thus, global population health.

Consensus-Based Recommendations on the Use of CGRP-Based Therapies for Migraine Prevention in the UAE

INTRODUCTION

Migraine is a common debilitating neurological disorder affecting a large proportion of the general population. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a 37-amino acid neuropeptide, plays a key role in the pathophysiology of migraine, and the development of therapies targeting the anti-CGRP pathway has revolutionized the field of migraine treatment.

METHODS

An expert task force of neurologists in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) developed and critically assessed recommendations on the use of CGRP-based therapies in migraine treatment and management in the UAE, based on available published literature. A consensus was reached for each statement by means of an open-voting process, based on a predefined agreement level of at least 60%.

RESULTS

The consensus recommendations advocate the need for guidelines for the appropriate use of CGRP-based therapies by defining patient cohorts and appropriate monitoring of therapeutic response as well as standardizing the initiation, assessment, and cessation of treatment. The consensus recommendations were primarily formulated on the basis of international studies, because of the limited availability of regional and local data. As such, they may also act as guidelines for global healthcare providers.

CONCLUSIONS

These are the first consensus recommendations for the UAE that address the use of CGRP-based therapies in the treatment and management of migraine, integrating both clinical evidence and medical expertise to enhance clinical judgment and decision-making.

Trends in migraine incidence among women of childbearing age from 1990 to 2019 and the prediction for 2030: an analysis of national data in China

BACKGROUND

Migraine is a primary headache, which has been producing heavy disease burden globally. There is no data on the incidence of migraine among women of childbearing age worldwide, including China. This study aimed to investigate the time trend in incidence rate of migraine among women of childbearing age in China from 1999 to 2019, and to make a prediction for 2030.

METHODS

Data on migraine incidence and population among women of childbearing age in China were derived from the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2019. Crude and age-standardized incidence rates of migraine (CIR, ASIR) were presented. The trend in migraine during 1990-2019 was examined using annual percent change and average annual percent change based on Joinpoint regression models. Age-period-cohort model was introduced to estimate the independent effect of age, period and cohort on migraine incidence rate among participants over the three decades. Bayesian age-period-cohort analysis was conducted to predict migraine incidence rate for 2030 among women of childbearing age in China.

RESULTS

For women of childbearing age in China, the case number, CIR and ASIR of migraine kept rising, with a cumulative percentage increase of 10.87%, 2.01% and 5.65%, respectively, from 1990 to 2019. An annual percent increase of 0.18% in the ASIR was observed over the three decades. As for the age, period and cohort effects, the adjusted cohort-specific relative risks constantly increased from 0.91 (95% CI: 0.90, 0.93) in the 1940-1949 cohort to 1.04 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.05) in the 1995-2004 cohort, while the period-specific relative risks initially declined from 1.00 (95% CI: 0.99, 1.00) in 1990-1994 cohort to 0.99 (95% CI: 0.98, 0.99) in 1995-1999 cohort, and then increased to 1.04 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.04) in 2015-2019 cohort. Moreover, the age-specific relative risks of migraine followed a bimodal pattern with peaks at the age-group of 25-29 years (CIR = 1718.27/100000) and 35-39 years (CIR = 1635.18/100000). Projection modeling showed that the CIR and ASIR of migraine will continue to significantly increase from 2020 to 2030.

CONCLUSION

Migraine incidence remained an increasing trend from 1990 to 2019 and is projected to continually increase till 2030 among women of childbearing age in China. This study has important public health implication for population-level migraine prevention in China. Precision intervention strategies and approaches shall be considered in campaigns initiated for migraine prevention among Chinese women of childbearing age.

Association of Migraine and Blood Pressure-Does Obesity Severity Have a Moderating Role?

BACKGROUND

The relationship between migraine and blood pressure (BP) is equivocal, warranting exploration of potential moderators. Obesity associates with both migraine and BP in a dose-dependent fashion, although its role as a moderator has not been evaluated. We examined the relation between migraine and BP in women with comorbid migraine and obesity, and whether this relation was influenced by obesity severity.

METHODS

Women with migraine and obesity (n = 134) completed a 28-day headache diary before randomization to lifestyle intervention or migraine education. BP (systolic (SBP)/diastolic (DBP)), body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC) were measured before diary completion. Hierarchical linear regression assessed associations between BP and migraine characteristics (headache frequency, duration, and pain intensity), and obesity severity (both total (BMI) and abdominal (WC)) as moderators of these associations.

RESULTS

Participants (BMI = 35.4 ± 6.5 kg/m2; WC = 105.4 ± 15.6 cm, SBP = 113.1 ± 12.1/DPB = 68.1 ± 8.0 mmHg) reported 8.4 ± 4.5 migraine days that lasted 20.2 ± 15.9 h with mean pain intensity of 5.9 ± 1.6 on a 10-point scale. DBP inversely related to migraine days in both total (β =  - 0.226, p = .010) and abdominal (β = 0.214, p = .015) obesity severity models. SBP and obesity severity did not relate to migraine characteristics. Obesity severity did not moderate relations between migraine characteristics and BP (p's > .05).

CONCLUSION

Among women with comorbid migraine and obesity, DBP inversely related to migraine frequency; however, obesity severity did not affect the strength of this or other examined associations. Future studies including healthy weight controls and men and women with continuous BP measures are needed to confirm these findings and identify mechanisms and moderators.

The psychosocial impact of migraines on women and alternative therapies for migraine management

Background

Migraines are one of the leading causes of disability globally and in South Africa. There is a paucity of local empirical literature regarding the psychosocial impact of migraines on women. Although there are a variety of treatment approaches, many women prefer alternative and holistic treatment for their migraines.

Aim

The aim of this study was to explore the psychosocial impact of migraines on women and their use of complementary and alternative therapies for migraine pain management.

Setting

The study was conducted in the eThekwini region of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Methods

The study adopted a qualitative descriptive design. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants for the study. Data were collected through 12 semi-structured interviews and subsequently analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Theme 1 related to the psychological and cognitive effects experienced by the participants. Theme 2 focused on the effects migraines had on personal, family and social relationships. Theme 3 discussed the self-management of migraines.

Conclusion

The pertinent psychological effects of migraines were depression, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness and withdrawal, fear-avoidance behaviour, lifestyle changes, and acceptance of migraines. The participants experienced a lack of understanding about their migraine severity from co-workers, family and social networks. The alternative therapies that were sought to alleviate migraine symptoms included chiropractic, massage, meditation, reflexology, yoga, cupping and acupuncture.

Contribution

The awareness of the effectiveness of complementary and alternative therapies for women may be beneficial for healthcare providers seeking a multidisciplinary approach to migraine management.

Long-Term Effect of Switching From an Anti-CGRP Receptor to an Anti-CGRP Ligand Antibody in Treatment-Refractory Chronic Migraine: A Prospective Real-World Analysis

In migraine patients with a poor response to a calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibody against the receptor, switching to a calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies against the ligand may be beneficial. This was a long-term real-world prospective analysis conducted in treatment-refractory chronic migraine patients coming from two large tertiary referral headache centres, who did not achieve a meaningful response to erenumab and were switched to fremanezumab. Responders to fremanezumab were considered those who achieved at least 30% reduction in monthly migraine days by month 3, compared to the post-erenumab baseline. Secondary efficacy and disability outcomes were analysed. Thirty-nine patients (female n = 32, 82.1%; median age: 49 years old, IQR = 29.0-56.0) were included. After three months of treatment with fremanezumab, ten out of 39 patients (25.6%) were considered responders. Four of the 11 patients who continued fremanezumab became responders at month 6, increasing the number of responders to 14 patients (35.9%). Responders received a median of 12 injections (IQR = 9.0-18.0) at the time of the analysis. After the last treatment, 13 patients (33.3%) remained responders. The number of mean monthly migraine days significantly decreased from 21.4 at baseline (IQR = 10.7-30.0) to 8.6 (IQR = 3.8-13.9) at the last follow-up. Painkillers intake and HIT-6 score were significantly reduced at the last follow-up. About 1/3 of patients with treatment refractory chronic migraine who have a disappointing response to erenumab and switch to fremanezumab, obtained a meaningful and sustained improvement of their migraine load over time, supporting the appropriateness of this therapeutic approach in clinical practice.

Efficacy and Safety of Galcanezumab as a Preventive Treatment for Episodic Migraine in South Korean Patients: A Post-Hoc Analysis of a Phase 3 Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The estimated prevalence of migraines in South Korea is 6.0%, with affected patients having unmet needs. The efficacy, safety, and tolerability of galcanezumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody, for episodic migraine (EM) prevention was evaluated in South Korean patients.

METHODS

During the double-blind period of the EVOLVE-2 phase 3 trial, patients with EM were randomized into placebo, 120 mg-galcanezumab, and 240-mg galcanezumab treatment groups. The primary endpoint was the overall mean change from baseline in the number of monthly migraine headache days during the 6-month double-blind period. We conducted a post-hoc analysis of the South Korean cohort in EVOLVE-2.

RESULTS

Among 98 South Korean patients in the intent-to-treat population, significant changes from baseline were observed in the number of monthly migraine headache days in the 240-mg galcanezumab group compared with the placebo group (-2.64, p=0.013), in the percentage of patients with ≥50% reduction in the number of monthly migraine headache days (120 mg: odds ratio=2.43, p=0.030; 240 mg: odds ratio=2.60, p=0.019), in the number of monthly migraine headache days with acute medication use (120 mg: -2.22, p=0.006; 240 mg: -2.23, p=0.005), and in the Migraine-Specific Quality-of-Life Role Function-Restrictive (120 mg: 8.34, p=0.040). Numerical improvements from baseline were observed relative to the placebo group in at least one galcanezumab group for: the percentage of patients with ≥75% reduction in the number of monthly migraine headache days functional impairment, and disease severity. The most common treatment-emergent adverse event in the combined galcanezumab group was injection site reaction, which led to treatment discontinuation for one patient.

CONCLUSIONS

Galcanezumab treatment demonstrated efficacy and a favorable safety and tolerability profile in South Korean patients with EM.

Rising trends in the burden of migraine and tension-type headache among adolescents and young adults globally, 1990 to 2019

BACKGROUND

Headache disorders are major contributors to disability in adolescents and young adults worldwide. We aimed to analyze global trends in the burden of migraine and tension-type headache in 10 to 24-year-olds from 1990 to 2019.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2019 to examine trends in incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for migraine and tension-type headache in adolescents and young adults by location, age, sex and sociodemographic index (SDI). Joinpoint regression analyzed trends and identified years of significant change.

RESULTS

Globally, migraine and tension-type headache incidence, prevalence, and DALYs increased from 1990 to 2019, though with some fluctuations. The highest growth in migraine incidence occurred in males and individuals aged 10-14, while for tension-type headache incidence, it was observed in males and individuals aged 20-24. Prevalence and DALYs were highest for both disorders in females and those aged 20-24 years. Incidence increased fastest in East Asia for migraine and tension-type headache. For migraine, Tropical Latin America had the fastest increase in prevalence and DALYs. East Asia had the fastest increase in prevalence of tension-type headache, while North Africa and the Middle East had the highest growth in DALYs. Some high-income countries such as Singapore, Norway, and Iran (Islamic Republic of) demonstrated fast increases, while a few countries including Qatar, Thailand and Ethiopia decreased.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence, prevalence and disability from migraine and tension-type headache are rising in adolescents and young adults, especially in males, older youth and middle SDI populations. The increasing trends highlight the need for targeted interventions focused on prevention and control in priority populations. Continued monitoring of trends can help identify strategies to promote headache health and reduce the life-course impacts of headache disorders globally.

Efficacy of mindfulness added to treatment as usual in patients with chronic migraine and medication overuse headache: a phase-III single-blind randomized-controlled trial (the MIND-CM study)

BACKGROUND

Mindfulness gained considerable attention for migraine management, but RCTs are lacking. We aimed to assess the efficacy of a six-sessions mindfulness-based treatment added to treatment as usual (TaU) in patients with Chronic Migraine (CM) and Medication Overuse Headache (MOH) on headache frequency, medication intake, quality of life, disability, depression and anxiety, cutaneous allodynia, awareness of inner states, work-related difficulties, and disease cost.

METHODS

In this Phase-III single-blind RCT carried out in a specialty Italian headache center, 177 patients with CM and MOH were randomized 1:1 to either TaU (withdrawal from overused drugs, education on proper medication use and lifestyle issues, and tailored prophylaxis) or mindfulness-based intervention added to TaU (TaU + MIND). The mindfulness-based intervention consisted of six group session of mindfulness practice and 7-10 min daily self-practice. The primary endpoint was the achievement of ≥ 50% headache frequency reduction at 12 months compared to baseline, and was analyzed on an intention-to-treat principle using Pearson's Chi-Squared test. Secondary endpoints included medication intake, quality of life (QoL), disability, depression and anxiety, cutaneous allodynia, awareness of inner states, work-related difficulties, and disease cost. The secondary endpoints were analyzed using per-protocol linear mixed models.

RESULTS

Out of the 177 participants 89 were randomized to TaU and 88 to TaU + MIND. Patients in the TaU + MIND group outperformed those in TaU for the primary endpoint (78.4% vs. 48.3%; p < 0.0001), and showed superior improvement in headache frequency, QoL and disability, headache impact, loss of productive time, medication intake, and in total, indirect and direct healthcare costs.

CONCLUSIONS

A mindfulness-based treatment composed of six-week session and 7-10 min daily self-practice added on to TaU is superior to TaU alone for the treatment of patients with CM and MOH.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

MIND-CM was registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03671681) on14/09/2018.

Switching of monoclonal antibodies against calcitonin gene-related peptide in chronic migraine in clinical practice: a case series

A multicentre case series of patients with chronic migraine (CM) treated with monoclonal antibodies directed against calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP-mAbs) switching were developed. The effectiveness and safety of CGRP-mAbs switching as a preventive treatment for CM in clinical practice were recorded. Effectiveness was measured by ≥50% reduction of monthly migraine days in respect to baseline and reduction in pain intensity. Safety was analysed through adverse events (AEs) and treatment discontinuations. Seven patients were included. The reason for switching was non-response in all cases. Two patients presented a response to the first CGRP-mAb, but the effect was lost after 3 months. The remaining five patients were non-responders. Response to the second CGRP-mAb was observed in three patients, one of them for >3 months. Less than half of the patients previously treated with a CGRP-mAb responded to switching with a second CGRP-mAb. AEs were rare, with no treatment discontinuations.

Altered functional brain network patterns in patients with migraine without aura after transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) shows excellent effects on relieving clinical symptoms in migraine patients. Nevertheless, the neurological mechanisms of taVNS for migraineurs remain unclear. In recent years, voxel-wise degree centrality (DC) and functional connectivity (FC) methods were extensively utilized for exploring alterations in patterns of FC in the resting-state brain. In the present study, thirty-five migraine patients without aura and thirty-eight healthy controls (HCs) were recruited for magnetic resonance imaging scans. Firstly, this study used voxel-wise DC analysis to explore brain regions where abnormalities were present in migraine patients. Secondly, for elucidating neurological mechanisms underlying taVNS in migraine, seed-based resting-state functional connectivity analysis was employed to the taVNS treatment group. Finally, correlation analysis was performed to explore the relationship between alterations in neurological mechanisms and clinical symptoms. Our findings indicated that migraineurs have lower DC values in the inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) and paracentral lobule than in healthy controls (HCs). In addition, migraineurs have higher DC values in the cerebellar lobule VIII and the fusiform gyrus than HCs. Moreover, after taVNS treatment (post-taVNS), patients displayed increased FC between the ITG with the inferior parietal lobule (IPL), orbitofrontal gyrus, angular gyrus, and posterior cingulate gyrus than before taVNS treatment (pre-taVNS). Besides, the post-taVNS patients showed decreased FC between the cerebellar lobule VIII with the supplementary motor area and postcentral gyrus compared with the pre-taVNS patients. The changed FC of ITG-IPL was significantly related to changes in headache intensity. Our study suggested that migraine patients without aura have altered brain connectivity patterns in several hub regions involving multisensory integration, pain perception, and cognitive function. More importantly, taVNS modulated the default mode network and the vestibular cortical network related to the dysfunctions in migraineurs. This paper provides a new perspective on the potential neurological mechanisms and therapeutic targets of taVNS for treating migraine.

Auriculotherapy in prevention of migraine attacks: an open randomized trial

Use of auriculotherapy to prevent episodic migraine pain has seldom been reported. The aim of this open study was to show that three sessions of auriculotherapy, 1 month apart, using semi-permanent needles decrease frequency and intensity of an attack in patients presenting episodic migraine. A total of 90 patients were randomized to the treatment group (AUR group, n = 58) or the control group (C group, n = 32). Four patients dropped out during the study (three in the AUR group and one in the C group). The number of days with migraine and non-migraine headache was similar when the analysis focused on the 3 months of the study or on the difference in each group of this number between the 3 months preceding the inclusion and the 3 months of the study (p = 0.123). AUR group patients had fewer days with non-migraine headache (p = 0.011) and took less Triptans (p = 0.045) than group C. Number of days with migraine, sum of the pain intensities of all migraines and non-migraine headaches, and total number of analgesics taken, other than triptan, were similar between groups. MIDAS score decreased with time in the AUR group while it increased in the C group whether in absolute values (p = 0.035) or as categories (p = 0.037). These contrasted results should lead to further study of the effectiveness of auriculotherapy for the prevention of migraine. Clinical trail registration: Protocol registered on the Clinicaltrials.gov, website (January 30, 2017, NCT03036761).

Burden of migraine in patients attending Belgian headache specialists: real-world evidence from the BECOME study

INTRODUCTION

Migraine is a primary headache disorder, which imposes a major burden on the sufferers. The BECOME study (Burden of migrainE in specialist headache Centers treating patients with prOphylactic treatMent failurE) attempted to characterize and assess the prevalence, burden and healthcare resource utilization of migraine patients presenting in specialized headache centers in Europe and Israel. In this paper, we will describe the patient characteristics of the Belgian headache centers.

METHODS

The BECOME study was a prospective, non-interventional, cross-sectional study consisting of two parts. In the first part of the study, data were collected from subjects with a diagnosis of migraine. Subsequently, patients with ≥ 4 monthly migraine days (MMD) and ≥ 1 prior preventive treatment failure (PPTF) filled out validated questionnaires to assess the burden of disease.

RESULTS

In part 1 of the Belgian study population (N = 806), 45% of patients reported ≥ 8 MMD and 25% had failed ≥ 4 preventive treatments. In part 2 (N = 90), more than 90% of patients reported having severe impact of headache on daily life and having severe migraine-related disability. The impact was the highest for patients with ≥ 15 MMD, however, even within the patient population with < 8 MMD, the burden was significant. Almost 40% of the study population suffered from anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings in the Belgian sample of the BECOME study demonstrate the substantial burden and unmet need for the management of difficult-to-treat migraine.

Migraine symptoms, healthcare resources utilization and disease burden in a large Polish migraine cohort : Results from 'Migraine in Poland'-a nationwide cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

The Migraine in Poland study is the first large scale nationwide cross-sectional online survey of symptoms, approaches to management, treatment patterns, quality of life, and sociodemographic characteristics of the Polish migraine patients' cohort, conducted from August 2021 to June 2022.

METHODS

A cross-sectional online survey was designed based on the American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention (AMPP) Study. Participants were recruited through broad advertisement through various channels. The survey included questions allowing for the diagnosis of migraine without aura (MwoA) based on the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3). Moreover, the questionnaire assessed sociodemographic and headache features, comorbidities, consultation rates with medical professionals, as well as the use of abortive or preventive treatment, including non-pharmacological methods, psychological symptoms and the burden of migraine.

RESULTS

A structured online questionnaire was submitted by 3225 respondents aged 13 to 80 (mean age 38.9, 87.1% women). In this group 1679 (52.7%) of participants fulfilled ICHD-3 diagnostic criteria for MwoA, which was in most cases (88.3%) confirmed by a medical professional in the past. In this group the average number of monthly headache days was 4.7, while 47.8% of participants had at least 4 migraine days per month. Mean Migraine Disability Assessment score was 42.65 (median 32). Among MwoA respondents, 1571 (93.6%) had consulted their headache with a medical professional in the past - mostly neurologists (n = 1450 (83.4%) and primary care physicians (n = 1393 (82.9%). In the MwoA cohort, 1553 (92.5%) of participants declared the current use of some form of treatment, although only 193 (11.5%) respondents were currently on preventive medications. The most prevalent comorbidities included: chronic rhinitis (37.1%), allergies (35.9%) and low blood pressure (26.9%). Anxiety (20.4%) and depression (21.3%) were highly prevalent among participants.

CONCLUSIONS

People with migraine in Poland face similar difficulties as their peers in other countries. Despite relatively high access to neurologist consultations and good diagnosis accuracy, migraine still poses diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties. In this context, migraine undertreatment in Polish population must be underlined, especially in context of high disease burden.

Validation and meaningful within-patient change in work productivity and activity impairment questionnaire (WPAI) for episodic or chronic migraine

BACKGROUND

No available studies demonstrate validity and meaningful change thresholds of Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire in patients with migraine. In this post-hoc analysis, we assessed reliability, validity, responsiveness, and meaningful within-patient change from baseline to Month 3 for Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) domain scores in patients with episodic migraine (EM) or chronic migraine (CM).

METHOD

The Phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled CONQUER study (NCT03559257, N = 462) enrolled patients with EM or CM who failed two to four categories of prior preventive medication in past ten years. The analyses were performed for WPAI domain scores (absenteeism, presenteeism, overall work productivity, and non-work-related activity impairment). Migraine Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire version 2.1 (MSQv2.1) domain scores (Role Function-Restrictive [RFR] and Role Function-Preventive [RFP]), and monthly migraine headache days were used as anchors. Responder criteria were changes from baseline to Month 3 for each of these anchors and were defined as: increase in MSQ-RFR by ≥ 25.71 points and MSQ-RFP by ≥ 20.00 points and a 50% reduction in monthly migraine headache days. Assessments were performed for overall population, and patients with EM or CM. The meaningful change threshold was determined based on Youden index, Phi coefficient and sensitivity.

RESULTS

Of 462 randomized patients, 444 who completed WPAI questionnaire were included in post-hoc analysis. Test-retest reliability over 3 months in a stable subgroup revealed moderate correlations for non-work-related Activity Impairment (ICC = 0.446) presenteeism (ICC = 0.438) and a fair correlation for overall work productivity loss (ICC = 0.360). At baseline, all correlations between WPAI domain scores and continuous anchor variables exceeded recommended threshold of ≥ 0.30, except for WPAI domain scores with number of monthly migraine headache days. Patients achieving pre-specified responsiveness thresholds for monthly migraine headache days, and MSQ-RFP, MSQ-RFR from baseline to Month 3 (responders) showed significant improvements in WPAI domain scores compared with non-responders (P < 0.001). The meaningful change thresholds of -20 (% unit) were identified for WPAI domain scores.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, WPAI has sufficient validity, reliability, responsiveness, and appropriate interpretation standards to assess the impact of EM or CM on presenteeism and overall work productivity loss and non-work-related activity impairment.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT number of CONQUER study, NCT03559257.

Randomized controlled studies evaluating Topiramate, Botulinum toxin type A, and mABs targeting CGRP in patients with chronic migraine and medication overuse headache: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

This systematic review focuses on chronic migraine patients with medication overuse headache using, respectively, topiramate, botulinum toxin type A, and human monoclonal antibodies targeting calcitonin gene-related peptide or its receptor.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted in the databases CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science until May 2022. We included randomized controlled trials reporting the outcomes of change in monthly headache/migraine days, ≥50% response rates and change in medication overuse status. Studies were excluded if response rates were not reported. Risk of bias assessment was performed using the Cochrane RoB2 tool. The quality of evidence for outcomes across included studies was evaluated according to the five factors outlined in Cochrane GRADE approach.

FINDINGS

The initial search resulted in 1599 records. Following screening, 10 studies met our inclusion criteria, while seven studies with sufficient data were included in the meta-analysis. Studies assessing Botulinum toxin type A included 1139 patients and showed a mean reduction in headache frequency by 1.92 days per month compared to placebo (-1.92; 95% CI -2.68 to -1.16). Studies assessing human monoclonal antibodies included 1982 patients, and showed significant positive effect compared to placebo for all measured outcomes. The overall odds ratio for the ≥50% response rate was 2.90 (95% CI, 2.23 to 3.78). No significant difference was observed in the frequency of adverse effect for both Botulinum toxin type A and low dose of human monoclonal antibodies compared to placebo. There is currently insufficient evidence to determine the impact of topiramate in chronic migraine patients with medication overuse headache.

INTERPRETATION

Botulinum toxin type A and human monoclonal antibodies targeting calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor were beneficial in reducing monthly migraine days and ≥50% response rate, but uncertainties remained for Botulinum toxin type A regarding response rate. The effect size for human monoclonal antibodies was greater with relatively lower drop-out rate. High-quality randomized trials are required to evaluate the effect of topiramate in chronic migraine patients with medication overuse headache.

Real-World Treatment Patterns and Outcomes Among Patients with Episodic Migraine in China: Results from the Adelphi Migraine Disease Specific Programme™

Objective

This study assessed treatment patterns, disease burden, outcomes, and unmet needs among patients with episodic migraine (EM) in China using Adelphi Migraine Disease Specific Programme™ (DSP) real-world data.

Background

Migraine is a prevalent and debilitating neurological disorder which presents a major public health burden globally. Research on characteristics, disease burden, and treatment patterns in EM patients in China is limited.

Methods

Data were drawn from an existing data set Adelphi Migraine DSP, a point-in-time survey conducted in China (January-June 2014). Internists/neurologists completed patient record forms for the next 9 patients who consulted them in clinical practice; these same patients completed the 'patient self-completion questionnaires'. Descriptive analyses were used to assess key variables: patient demographics, treatment patterns (current acute and preventive medication [AM/PM]), effectiveness, issues with existing treatment, Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) scores, and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment scores.

Results

Total of 125 internists/neurologists provided data on 1113 patients with EM (headache days/month <15). Mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 43.8 (13.1) years; mean (SD) number of migraine days/month was 3.2 (1.7). AM was prescribed in 86.1% of patients (non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs]: 62.7%; triptans: 7.7%), PM in 38.5%, and both in 24.9% of patients. Approximately 55% of patients experienced ≥1 issue with their current AM or PM. Migraine-related symptoms (including nausea, photophobia, and phonophobia) were fully controlled in <50% of patients receiving NSAIDs (21.7-38.4%) or triptans (32.4-43.5%). Insufficient response to current AM (migraine headache fully resolved within 2 hours in ≤3/5 attacks) was reported by 42.5% of patients. Mild-to-severe disability was reported by 36.8% of patients with a mean (SD) MIDAS score of 5.8 (7.3). Overall, 58.0% of work time was impaired (including time missed and impairment while working).

Conclusion

This analysis suggests, despite existing treatment options, disease burden and unmet medical needs remain substantial in Chinese patients with EM.

Relationships between headache frequency, disability, and disability-related unemployment among adults with migraine

BACKGROUND: Migraine is the second most common cause of disability worldwide. Understanding the relationship between migraine and employment status is critical for policymakers, as disability-related unemployment is associated with eligibility for private or governmental disability insurance payments and other associated support for those unable to work because of disability. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between migraine frequency and selfreported employment status and overall disability in a US representative survey. METHODS: Using data from the 2019 National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS) (Kantar Health), adults in the United States (aged 18-65 years) reporting at least 1 migraine day in the past 30 days were categorized by headache frequency: low-frequency episodic migraine (LFEM) (≤4 days/month), moderate-frequency EM (MFEM) (5-9 days/month), high-frequency EM (HFEM) (10-14 days/month), or chronic migraine (CM) (≥15 days/month). A control group of adults without migraine with similar baseline characteristics was identified by propensity score matching. Disability-related unemployment was defined as participants responding "short-term disability" or "long-term disability" to occupational status on the NHWS. The frequency of short- or long-term disability was then evaluated across headache frequency groups. In addition, participants were asked to assess migraine-related disability via the Migraine Disability questionnaire (MIDAS). RESULTS: A total of 1,962 respondents with LFEM, 987 with MFEM, 554 with HFEM, and 926 with CM were included in this analysis, along with 4,429 matched controls. Headache frequency was associated both with increased MIDAS score and with employment disability (P < 0.001); 12.3% (n = 114 of 926) of participants with CM reported employment disability, as did 4.4% (n = 86 of 1,962) of the LFEM group and 6.9% (n = 306 of 4,429) of matched controls. There was considerable discordance between the proportion of participants classified as disabled via MIDAS vs those reporting employment-related disability. CONCLUSIONS: More frequent migraine headaches are associated with a higher likelihood of self-reported short- and long-term employment disability and overall migraine-related disability, suggesting that health and economic policymakers must seek ways to maximize the employment opportunities for people living with migraine that may benefit from novel preventive treatments. DISCLOSURES: Robert E Shapiro is a research consultant for Eli Lilly and Lundbeck. Ashley A Martin and Martine C Maculaitis are employees of Cerner Enviza (formerly Kantar Health), which received payment from Lundbeck to conduct the research. Shiven Bhardwaj was an employee of Lundbeck at the time of study and manuscript development. Heather Thomson and Carlton Anderson are employees of Lundbeck. Steven M Kymes is an employee and stockholder of Lundbeck. Financial support for research conducted and manuscript preparation was provided by Lundbeck.

Societal and personal impact of migraine

Migraine is one of the main causes of years lived with disability (YLDs) worldwide, as showed in the Global Burden of Diseases Study. Its influence on patients' life is relevant and pervasive, with a specific impact on social, family, and work functioning, considering that migraine mainly affects adults under the age of 50. Several studies demonstrated that relations inside the family as well as in every social context are negatively influenced by migraine. According to the results of studies and surveys from different countries, patients' daily activities are often limited during migraine attacks, particularly in terms of performance in social and domestic activities and in terms of reduced productivity in work and school duties. Also an interictal burden is present. Migraineurs are conditioned by the fear of the next attack, often suffer from comorbid conditions such as anxiety and depression, and are subject to different forms of stigma. Consequently, migraine implies relevant costs for the individuals and for society, with higher figures for indirect costs (related to reduced participation and to limited productivity) than indirect costs (related to drugs, medical visits, examinations, and hospitalization).

[Comparative clinical study of pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence of Relonova and Maxalt]

OBJECTIVE

Evaluation of the bioequivalence of the tested Relonova, tablets, 10 mg and Maxalt, tablets, 10 mg drugs on an empty stomach in healthy volunteers.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The pharmacokinetic analysis population included 40 volunteers, the safety analysis population included 40 volunteers. The average age of randomized volunteers (men - 20, women - 20) was 29.3±8.9 years, height 1.71±0.09 m, body weight 70.86±11.66 kg, mean BMI 24.18±2.81 kg/m2. The method used high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection. Statistical analysis of the obtained data was performed based on the assumption of a log-normal distribution of the parameters AUC0-72 and Cmax.

RESULTS

The ratio of geometric means for the key pharmacokinetic parameters (AUC0-t, AUC0-inf and Cmax) of rizatriptan is close to 90%, CI is within the acceptable range for bioequivalent drugs (80-125%). The intrasubject variability (CVintra) for rizatriptan was 23.74% (Cmax), 10.94% (AUC0-t). The average profiles of the pharmacokinetic curves of rizatriptan when taking the test and reference drugs have similar shapes. Relonova and reference Maxalt are bioequivalent.

CONCLUSION

The results of the study make it possible to recommend Relonova for further clinical study and wide practical application.

[Features of the psychoemotional sphere and quality of life of patients with vestibular migraine]

OBJECTIVE

To study the state of the psycho-emotional sphere and the quality of life in patients with vestibular migraine.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study included 56 patients (10 men and 46 women), aged 18 to 50 years, with vestibular migraine and a control group (patients with migraine without au-ra). The study of neurological status, features of the psychoemotional sphere, accentuations of character and temperament of the individual, quality of life was carried out. The Beck Depres-sion Inventory, the Spielberger-Khanin State-Trait Anxiety Inventory test, the K. Leonhard - H. Schmischek Inventory test and the Vestibular Rehabilitation Benefit Questionnaire were admin-istered.

RESULTS

The following features between two groups were revealed: absence of significant differences in trait anxiety, statistically significant differences in state anxiety and the severity of depressive symptoms, as well as significant variations in the spectrum of personality accentuations and a lack of quality of life.

CONCLUSION

The results are relevant and important in the field of management of patients with vestibular migraine and allow us to focus due attention on psychoemotional distinctiveness and lack of quality of life in this debilitating pathology, for the possibility of presenting the nec-essary individual strategy to overcome the disease.

Real-world experience of OnabotulinumtoxinA treatment in female patients with chronic migraine: a qualitative study using in-depth interviews

BACKGROUND

Chronic migraine (CM) causes great disability and affects an individual's quality of life. OnabotulinumtoxinA (OBT-A, Botox®) was the first prophylactic treatment specifically indicated for CM. The aim of this study was to describe the experiences of women with CM treated with OBT-A.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study design is a qualitative descriptive study. A purposeful sampling of 30 women (mean age, 42.7; standard deviation, 10.6) who had received at least two administrations of OBT-A for CM (PREEMPT protocol) was performed. Data collection included in-depth interviews and researchers' field notes. A thematic analysis was carried out according to qualitative research guidelines.

RESULTS

Five themes were identified: (a) A long way to go before Botox®, (b) First time hearing about the treatment and its expectations, (c) The administration of Botox®, (d) Treatment effects, and (e) Follow-up. Patients described a long history of treatment failures prior to the start of OBT-A treatment. Information about this migraine treatment came from the neurologist; following the information, patients had high expectations, including unrealistic expectations regarding the onset and duration of effect. They acknowledged fear of the injections and some discomfort due to the procedure. With treatment, participants reported better migraine control and an improvement in their quality of life. Follow-up had some barriers, such as delayed appointments for subsequent doses, but also strengths, such as effectiveness and few side effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Qualitative research offers insight into how patients with CM experience treatment with OBT-A. Our results highlight some relevant aspects that should be considered when providing OBT-A treatment.

Vitamin D in Neurological Diseases

Vitamin D may have multiple effects on the nervous system and its deficiency can represent a possible risk factor for the development of many neurological diseases. Recent studies are also trying to clarify the different effects of vitamin D supplementation over the course of progressive neurological diseases. In this narrative review, we summarise vitamin D chemistry, metabolism, mechanisms of action, and the recommended daily intake. The role of vitamin D on gene transcription and the immune response is also reviewed. Finally, we discuss the scientific evidence that links low 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations to the onset and progression of severe neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, migraine, diabetic neuropathy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Completed and ongoing clinical trials on vitamin D supplementation in neurological diseases are listed.

Effects of eptinezumab on self-reported work productivity in adults with migraine and prior preventive treatment failure in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled DELIVER study

BACKGROUND

The multinational phase 3b DELIVER trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of eptinezumab for migraine prevention in patients with prior preventive treatment failures across 17 countries. In the placebo-controlled portion, eptinezumab relative to placebo demonstrated greater reductions in migraine and headache frequency, migraine and headache severity, and acute medication use. The objective of this report is to describe the effects of eptinezumab on self-reported work productivity in the placebo-controlled portion of DELIVER.

METHODS

Adults 18-75 years of age with migraine and documented evidence of 2 to 4 prior preventive treatment failures in the past 10 years were randomized to receive eptinezumab 100 mg, 300 mg, or placebo intravenously (IV) every 12 weeks. The Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire specific to migraine (WPAI:M), which comprises 6 items (4 of which are completed by currently employed patients only), was administered every 4 weeks. Changes from baseline in subscores (absenteeism, presenteeism, work productivity loss, and activity impairment) were calculated based on item responses. A mixed model for repeated measures was used to analyze changes from baseline in WPAI:M subscores.

RESULTS

A total of 890 adults (mean age, 43.8 years) were included in the full analysis set (eptinezumab 100 mg, n = 299; eptinezumab 300 mg, n = 293; placebo, n = 298). Mean WPAI:M subscores at baseline indicated a negative impact of migraine attacks on work productivity and ability to complete normal daily activities. Eptinezumab improved WPAI:M subscores more than placebo at all assessment points throughout the study. Mean changes from baseline in self-reported work productivity loss were -19.5, -24.0, and -9.7 at Week 12; and -22.6, -20.2, and -7.2 at Week 24 (all P < 0.001 vs placebo) for eptinezumab 100 mg, eptinezumab 300 mg, and placebo, respectively. Mean changes from baseline in activity impairment were -21.3, -23.8, and -11.2 at Week 12; and -24.7, -22.6, and -10.1 at Week 24 (all P < 0.0001 vs placebo). Similarly, mean improvements in absenteeism and presenteeism were greater in the eptinezumab groups than in the groups receiving placebo at all timepoints (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In adults with migraine and prior preventive treatment failure, eptinezumab 100 mg and 300 mg IV every 12 weeks improved absenteeism, presenteeism, work productivity loss, and activity impairment more than placebo.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT04418765 ); EudraCT (Identifier: 2019-004497-25) ( https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2019-004497-25/PL ). Eptinezumab improves self-reported work productivity in patients with migraine and prior preventive treatment failures.

Delivery of Dihydroergotamine Mesylate to the Upper Nasal Space for the Acute Treatment of Migraine: Technology in Action

Oral tablets account for the majority of medications used to acutely treat migraine, but relief can be limited by their rates of dissolution and absorption. The nose is an attractive alternative route of drug delivery since it provides patient convenience of at-home use, gastrointestinal (GI) avoidance, and rapid absorption of drugs into systemic circulation because of its large surface area. However, the site of drug deposition within the nasal cavity should be considered since it can influence drug absorption. Traditional nasal devices have been shown to target drug delivery to the lower nasal space where epithelium is not best-suited for drug absorption and where there is an increased likelihood of drug clearance due to nasal drip, swallowing, or mucociliary clearance, potentially resulting in variable absorption and suboptimal efficacy. Alternatively, the upper nasal space (UNS) offers a permeable, richly vascularized epithelium with a decreased likelihood of drug loss or clearance due to the anatomy of this area. Traditional nasal pumps deposit <5% of active drug into the UNS because of the nasal cavity's complex architecture. A new technology, Precision Olfactory Delivery (POD^®), is a handheld, manually actuated, propellant-powered, administration device that delivers drug specifically to the UNS. A dihydroergotamine (DHE) mesylate product, INP104, utilizes POD technology to deliver drug to the UNS for the acute treatment of migraine. Results from clinical studies of INP104 demonstrate a favorable pharmacokinetic profile, consistent and predictable dosing, rapid systemic levels known to be effective (similar to other DHE mesylate clinical programs), safety and tolerability on the upper nasal mucosa, and high patient acceptance. POD technology may have the potential to overcome the limitations of traditional nasal delivery systems, while utilizing the nasal delivery benefits of GI tract avoidance, rapid onset, patient convenience, and ease of use.

Perception of the general population towards migraine in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Background

Migraine is a chronic episodic neurological disorder characterized by a myriad of neurological symptoms including multi-phase attacks of headache, photophobia, phonophobia, and dizziness. To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies conducted about the public perception and attitudes towards migraine in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to determine the public perception and attitudes towards migraine in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional study was conducted during the period between September 2019 and January 2020 in various public places including malls in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The study utilized a 40-item self-administered survey questionnaire divided into two sections: demographic data of the participants and perception of participants towards migraine, which consisted of three parts—knowledge towards migraine, attitudes towards migraine, and the expected behavior of migraine patients.

Results

The total number of participants was 385. Three hundred and thirty-nine of the participants (88.1%) heard about migraine before. Relatives and friends are the main source of information for 213 participants (55.3%). In gender predominance, 137 (35.6%) believed that migraine affects both genders equally. Complications of migraine headache are not known for 240 participants (62.3%). The existence of medications or methods for treating migraine is not known for 195 (50.6%). The quality of life for patients with migraine is negatively affected according to 275 (70.9%). One hundred sixty-six participants (43.1%) believe that depression and anxiety are more common in migraineurs. Two hundred forty-four (63.4%) considered migraine to cause a huge psychological and social impact. Two hundred fifteen (55.8%) do not have the knowledge to deal with migraineurs.

Conclusion

The present study demonstrated a lack of knowledge in certain aspects of migraine in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This study will serve as a basis for developing a health educational program aiming to increase public awareness about migraine. It will also improve the understanding of society regarding migraine, which will subsequently improve the way they interact with migraineurs and understand their difficulties. In addition, finding a trusted source for information about different kinds of medical conditions including migraine is crucial in educating the community and providing them with the most recent and correct information.

Trends in utilization and costs of migraine medications, 2017–2020

Objective

This study examines changes in utilization and costs trends associated with migraine medications.

Background

Migraine attacks are a burden to many patients. There are many pharmacotherapy options available with newer migraine drug classes entering the market in the past decade. Little is known about the use, associated costs, and the impact of the newer agents.

Methods

This retrospective, cross-sectional study examined 2017–2020 administrative claims from a large national pharmacy benefits manager. Patients aged ≥ 18 years enrolled in commercial, Medicare, Medicaid, or health insurance exchange insurance plans who filled ≥ 2 prescription claims for triptans, ergotamines, isometheptenes, gepants, ditans, and CGRP mABs were included. A two-sample t-test was conducted to estimate whether differences in mean utilization and costs between 2017 and 2020 were statistically significant for migraine drug classes, except for CGRP mABs, which were estimated between 2018 and 2020.

Results

The sample ranged from 161,369 (2017) to 240,330 (2020) patients. 84.5% (n = 203,110; 2020) of patients were women. The number of 30-day adjusted prescription fills for prophylaxis remained stable over the four-year period, except for CGRP mABs, which increased from 0.5% (n = 0.007; 2018) to 5.3% (n = 0.075; 2020). Antiepileptics, antidepressants and beta blockers were the most common prophylaxes, while triptans, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs/non-narcotic analgesics and opioids were the most common treatments utilized. CGRP mABs were the most expensive, while utilization of triptans were the highest. CGRP mABs had the largest increase in utilization (177.5%) and costs (166.3%) PPPM in 2020 ($291.17) compared to 2018 ($109.35), the year they were first available (p < 0.001). Between 2018 and 2020, costs increased overall and for commercial and Medicare enrollees, but remained unchanged for Medicaid and HIX members.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates a shift in migraine medication utilization from 2017–2020, where increased use of CGRP mABs had a significant contribution to increased costs. These increased pharmacy costs must be weighed against the improved tolerability of these agents likely resulting in other healthcare and indirect cost savings.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s10194-022-01476-y.

A phase 3, randomised, placebo-controlled study of erenumab for the prevention of chronic migraine in patients from Asia: the DRAGON study

ABSTACT

BACKGROUND: DRAGON was a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study which evaluated the efficacy and safety of erenumab in patients with chronic migraine (CM) from Asia not adequately represented in the global pivotal CM study.

METHODS

DRAGON study was conducted across 9 Asian countries or regions including mainland China, India, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Patients (N = 557) with CM (aged 18-65 years) were randomised (1:1) to receive once-monthly subcutaneous erenumab 70 mg or matching placebo for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was the change in monthly migraine days (MMD) from baseline to the last 4 weeks of the 12-week double-blind treatment phase (DBTP). Secondary endpoints included achievement of ≥ 50% reduction in MMD, change in monthly acute headache medication days, modified migraine disability assessment (mMIDAS), and safety. Study was powered for the primary endpoint of change from baseline in MMD.

RESULTS

At baseline, the mean (SD) age was 41.7 (± 10.9) years, and 81.5% (n = 454) patients were women. The mean migraine duration was 18.0 (± 11.6) years, and the mean MMD was 19.2 (± 5.4). 97.8% (n = 545) randomised patients completed the DBTP. Overall, demographics and baseline characteristics were balanced between the erenumab and placebo groups except for a slightly higher proportion of women in the placebo group. At Week 12, the adjusted mean change from baseline in MMD was - 8.2 days for erenumab and - 6.6 days for placebo, with a statistically significant difference for erenumab versus placebo (adjusted mean difference vs placebo: - 1.57 [95%CI: - 2.83, - 0.30]; P = 0.015). A greater proportion of patients treated with erenumab achieved ≥ 50% reduction in MMD versus placebo (47.0% vs 36.7%, P = 0.014). At Week 12, greater reductions in monthly acute headache medication days (- 5.34 vs - 4.66) and mMIDAS scores (- 14.67 vs - 12.93) were observed in patients treated with erenumab versus placebo. Safety and tolerability profile of erenumab was comparable to placebo, except the incidence of constipation (8.6% for erenumab vs 3.2% for placebo).

CONCLUSION

DRAGON study demonstrated the efficacy and safety of erenumab 70 mg in patients with CM from Asia. No new safety signals were observed during the DBTP compared with the previous trials.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT03867201.

A Preliminary Analysis on the Feasibility and Short-Term Efficacy of a Phase-III RCT on Mindfulness Added to Treatment as Usual for Patients with Chronic Migraine and Medication Overuse Headache

This preliminary analysis of a single-blind phase-III RCT aims to compare the feasibility and short-term efficacy of mindfulness as an add-on to treatment as usual (TaU) in the management of patients with chronic migraine (CM) and medication overuse headache (MOH). Patients were randomized to either TaU (structured withdrawal of overused drugs, patient education and pharmacological prophylaxis) or TaU + MIND, wherein patients additionally received six 90 min weekly group sessions of mindfulness-based therapy. Repeated measures analyses were used to test whether patients in the two arms showed different course with regard to headache frequency and medication intake over a three-month period. Drop-out rates were not different between the two groups: 6/89 (6.7%) and 9/88 (10.2%) among those in TaU and TaU + MIND, respectively. A significant effect of time for all variables was shown, together with a significant effect of time by group, favoring TaU + MIND condition for headache frequency (p = 0.025) and NSAID intake (p = 0.007), controlling for age and CM duration. In total, 45/83 (54.2%) and 69/79 (75.9%) of the patients allocated to TaU and TaU + MIND, respectively, achieved 50% or more headache-day reduction (chi-squared 8.38, p = 0.004). Our preliminary analysis indicates that adding six mindfulness-based sessions to TaU was feasible and showed short-term efficacy in the treatment of patients with CM and MOH.

Managing migraine on the frontline: Identifying disease, understanding burden, and incorporating CGRP pathway-targeting therapies in primary care

Migraine is a common neurologic disorder with clinical phenotypes encompassing a variety of symptoms which all contribute to the burden felt by patients. In addition to negative impacts on a patient's quality of life, migraine has both direct medical costs and indirect costs related to missed work and decreased productivity that affect individuals as well as society at large. Unfortunately, migraine diagnoses are often missed, and many patients do not receive appropriate treatment. Primary care providers are in a key position to provide timely diagnosis and effectively manage migraine for many patients. This review aims to be a guide for improving migraine management in the primary care setting by providing strategies to overcome common challenges in migraine diagnosis; summarizing current knowledge on the mechanism of action, efficacy, and safety of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) pathway-targeting therapies; and reviewing approaches to incorporate traditional and emerging treatment options into a patient-centric migraine management strategy.

Relationships among Symptoms, Disability, Type D Personality, and Quality of Life in Patients with Migraine: A Cross-Sectional Study in South Korea

BACKGROUND

Type D personality as a personality vulnerable to stress consists of negative affectivity and social inhibition, and it is related to symptoms and decreased quality of life in patients with chronic illness.

AIM

This study aimed to explore the relationships among migraine symptoms, disability, type D personality, and quality of life in patients with migraine.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 135 patients with migraine was collected at the neurologic outpatient clinics of two tertiary hospitals in South Korea. Frequency and severity of migraine symptoms, Migraine Disability Assessment, type D personality, and quality of life were investigated using a structured questionnaire. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used.

RESULTS

Sixty-one (45.2%) were classified as type D personality. The intensity of the most severe migraine and Migraine Disability Assessment scores in subjects with type D personality were significantly higher than those in subjects without type D personality. In addition, the quality of life score of subjects with type D personality was significantly lower than in subjects without type D personality. The intensity of the migraine, Migraine Disability Assessment score, and type D personality were significant factors influencing quality of life on stepwise multiple regression analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Type D personality was related to migraine symptoms, disability, and quality of life in patients with migraine.

Quantity changes in acute headache medication use among patients with chronic migraine treated with eptinezumab: subanalysis of the PROMISE-2 study

Background

Patients with chronic migraine (CM) treated with eptinezumab in the PROMISE-2 trial achieved greater reductions in migraine and headache frequency, impact, and acute headache medication (AHM) use than did patients who received placebo. This post hoc analysis examines relationships between headache frequency reductions and changes in AHM use in patients in PROMISE-2.

Methods

PROMISE-2 was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted in adults with CM. Patients were randomized to eptinezumab 100 mg, 300 mg, or placebo, administered intravenously once every 12 weeks for up to two doses. Patients recorded headache/AHM information daily and for each event in an electronic diary; data from all days with daily reports were included. Shifts in headache frequency and AHM use were assessed in the three populations: total CM population, patients with CM and medication-overuse headache (MOH), and patients with CM and MOH who were ≥ 50% responders during treatment (response over weeks 1–24).

Results

A total of 1072 adults with CM received treatment (eptinezumab, n = 706; placebo, n = 366). Mean baseline headache frequency was 20.5 days; mean baseline AHM days was 13.4; 431 patients had MOH, of which 225 (52.2%) experienced ≥50% response over weeks 1–24. Relative to baseline, the proportion of days with both headache and AHM use decreased 25.1% (eptinezumab) versus 17.0% (placebo) in the total population (N = 1072), 29.2% versus 18.4% in the MOH subpopulation (n = 431), and 38.3% versus 31.5% in the CM with MOH population with ≥50% response subgroup (n = 225) during weeks 1–24. The proportion of days with headache and triptan use decreased 9.1% (eptinezumab) versus 5.8% (placebo), 11.8% versus 7.2%, and 14.5% versus 12.6%, respectively. Reductions in other AHM types were smaller.

Conclusions

In this post hoc analysis, eptinezumab use in patients with CM was associated with greater decreases in days with headache with AHM overall and with triptans in particular. The magnitude of effect was greater in the subgroup of CM patients with MOH and ≥ 50% response.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02974153.

Graphical abstract

Eptinezumab reduces headache frequency and acute medication use in patients with chronic migraine.