Photo Credit: Jacob Wackerhausen

The following is a summary of “Patients’ experiences during the long journey before initiating migraine prevention with a Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) Monoclonal antibody (mAb),” published in the September 2024 issue of Pain by Seng et al.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to investigate the experiences of migraine patients before CGRP-mAb (calcitonin-gene-related-peptide monoclonal antibody) treatment, including delays in diagnosis and dissatisfaction with care.

They performed an online survey of subjects in Lilly’s Emgality® Patient Support Program in 2022. Questionnaires collected insights into subjects’ prior experiences with migraine and interactions with healthcare professionals before receiving CGRP-mAbs.

The results showed that among the 500 participants, 250 with episodic migraine and chronic migraine each, 90% were female and white, with a mean age of 26.2 years (± 11.9) at diagnosis and 40.6 years (± 12.0) at the time of survey enrollment. Many participants (71%) suspected migraine before receiving a diagnosis, and 31% were reluctant to seek help; of those, approximately one-third were unaware of treatment options, doubted a physician could offer effective help, felt they would not be taken seriously, or were hesitant due to previous unhelpful experiences. Most participants obtained information from friends and family (47%) or the Internet (28%). They initially sought treatment due to an increase in migraine frequency (77%), attacks interfering with work or school (75%), or heightened pain intensity (74%). On average, participants consulted 4.1 (± 4.3) healthcare providers before migraines, and 20% had previously received a different diagnosis. Reported causes of migraines were stress, anxiety, and depression (42%), hormonal changes (30%), nutrition (20%), and weather (16%). Acute treatments included prescription medications (82%), over-the-counter medications (50%), dietary changes (62%), increased fluid intake (56%), and relaxation techniques (55%). Preventive medications comprised anticonvulsants (61%), antidepressants (44%), blood pressure-lowering medications (43%), and botulinum toxin A injections (17%). Most treatment discontinuations were attributed to a lack of efficacy or side effects.

They concluded that people with migraine often hesitate to seek healthcare, and misunderstandings are common, particularly in early migraine journeys.

Source: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40122-024-00652-z