Real-life assessment of erenumab in refractory chronic migraine with medication overuse headache.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To determine whether erenumab is effective and safe in refractory chronic migraine with medication overuse headache.

METHODS:

In this prospective, multicentric, real-life study, chronic migraine with medication overuse headache patients who received erenumab were recruited. Study inclusion was limited to patients who previously failed onabotulinumtoxinA in addition to at least three other pharmacological commonly used migraine preventive medication classes.

RESULTS:

Of 396 patients who received erenumab, 38% (n = 149) met inclusion criteria. After 3 months, 51% (n = 76) and 20% (n = 30) patients achieved ≥ 50% and ≥ 75% reduction in monthly headache days, respectively. Monthly pain medications intake decreased from 46.1 ± 35.3 to 16.8 ± 13.9 (p < 0.001), while monthly headache days decreased from 25.4 ± 5.4 to 14.1 ± 8.6 (p < 0.001). Increasing efficacy of erenumab over the study period was observed. Allodynia was a negative predictive factor of erenumab response (odds ratio = 0.47; p = 0.03). Clinical conversion to episodic migraine with no medication overuse was observed in 64% (n = 96) patients. No serious adverse events were observed.

CONCLUSIONS:

Erenumab reduced significantly migraine frequency and pain medication intake in refractory chronic migraine with MOH patients.

• Authors: Umberto Pensato, Carlo Baraldi, Valentina Favoni, Maria Michela Cainazzo, Paola Torelli, Pietro Querzani, Alessia Pascazio, Davide Mascarella, Eleonora Matteo, Simone Quintana, Gian Maria Asioli, Pietro Cortelli, Giulia Pierangeli, Simona Guerzoni, Sabina Cevoli
• Journal: Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology (Neurol Sci) Vol. 43 Issue 2 Pg. 1273-1280 (Feb 2022) ISSN: 1590-3478 [Electronic] Italy
• PMID: 34224026 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2021. Fondazione Società Italiana di Neurologia.

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
• Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Receptor Antagonists
• erenumab

Topics

• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
• Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Receptor Antagonists
• Headache
• Headache Disorders, Secondary (drug therapy)
• Humans
• Migraine Disorders (drug therapy)
• Prospective Studies