In:
European Journal of Pain, Wiley, Vol. 15, No. 2 ( 2011-02), p. 205-212
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the characteristics of headache attacks, their impact on daily activities as well as the type and efficacy of acute medication in patients with migraine. We included 281 patients with episodic migraine (87% females, aged 41.2±12.1). All patients kept a headache diary for 3 months covering headache characteristics, therapy and questions adopted from the Headache Impact Test (HIT‐6) for rating the impact of each single headache attack (HIT‐6 s). For evaluating the efficacy of acute medication we compared triptans with other compounds using headache duration as outcome parameter. Of 6051 headache attacks 52.8% fulfilled the ICHD‐II criteria of migraine. The HIT‐6 s score was 2.4±2.2 (range 0–6). It was lowest in untreated headaches (2.0±2.1) and highest in those treated with a combination of triptans and other compounds (4.1±2.0, p 〈 0.001). Patients used triptans on 8.0% of all headache days, other compounds on 33.1%, a combination of both on 1.5% and no medication on 57.3% of the headache days. Migraine attacks of moderate or severe intensity treated with triptans alone lasted significantly shorter than those treated with other compounds (5.1±3.6 vs. 6.9±5.3 h, p 〈 0.001). In conclusion, almost 50% of the headaches occurring in patients with migraine do not fulfill migraine criteria. Use of triptans is associated with a shorter duration of moderate and severe migraine attacks compared to use of other compounds.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1090-3801
,
1532-2149
DOI:
10.1016/j.ejpain.2010.06.013
Language:
English
Publisher:
Wiley
Publication Date:
2011
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2002493-9
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