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. 2024 Jul 11;14(1):16013.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-66906-0.

Three-month treatment outcome of medication-overuse headache according to classes of overused medications, use of acute medications, and preventive treatments

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Three-month treatment outcome of medication-overuse headache according to classes of overused medications, use of acute medications, and preventive treatments

Sun-Young Oh et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Medication overuse headache (MOH) is a chronic headache disorder that results from excessive use of acutely symptomatic headache medications, leading to more frequent and severe headaches. This study aims to assess the 3-month treatment outcomes in MOH patients, focusing on the types and usage of overused medications, as well as preventive treatments. This prospective cross-sectional study analyzed the treatment outcomes of 309 MOH patients from April 2020 to March 2022. Patients were advised to discontinue overused medications immediately and offered preventive treatments based on clinical judgment. Data on headache characteristics, medication use, and impact on daily life were collected at baseline and 3 months. Results showed overall significant improvements in headache-related variables in patients completing the 3-month treatment follow-up. The median number of headache days per month decreased from 15 days at baseline to 8 days after 3 months (p < 0.001). Patients who overused multiple drug classes demonstrated increased disability levels (mean Headache Impact Test-6 score: 62 at baseline vs. 56 at 3 months, p < 0.01). Those who continued overusing medications reported more days of severe headache (mean 18 days at baseline vs. 14 days at 3 months, p < 0.05) and greater impact (mean Migraine Disability Assessment score: 35 at baseline vs. 28 after 3 months, p < 0.05) compared to the baseline. Differences in headache outcomes were evident across different preventive treatment groups, with generalized estimating equation analyses highlighting significant associations between clinical characteristics, overused medication classes, and preventive treatments. Most MOH clinical features significantly improved after 3 months of treatment. However, notable interactions were observed with certain clinical presentations, suggesting possible influences of overused medication classes, usage patterns, and preventive treatment types on MOH treatment outcomes. This study underscores the importance of individualized treatment strategies and the potential benefits of discontinuing overused medications.

Keywords: Chronic headache; Medication-overuse headache; Migraine; Three-month follow-up; Treatment strategies.

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Conflict of interest statement

MKC was a site investigator for a multicenter trial sponsored by Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Allergan Korea, and Ildong Pharmaceutical Company. He received lecture honoraria from Eli Lilly and Company, Handok-Teva, and Ildong Pharmaceutical Company over the past 24 months. He received Grants from Yonsei University College of Medicine (6-2021-0229), the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) (HV22C0106), and a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Grant from the Korean government (MSIT) (2022R1A2C1091767). The other authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram for study participants. C-MOH combination analgesic-overuse MOH, E-MOH ergotamine-overuse MOH, M-MOH MOH attributed to multiple drug classes, N-MOH non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-overuse MOH, MOH medication-overuse headache, T-MOH triptan-overuse MOH, OBT-A onabotulinumtoxinA, Anti-CGRP mAb anti-CGRP monoclonal antibody.

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