CandeSpartan Study: Candesartan Spanish Response-prediction and Tolerability study in migraine.

INTRODUCTION: Effectiveness of candesartan in migraine prevention is supported by two randomized controlled trials. We aimed to assess the effectiveness, tolerability, and response predictors of candesartan in the preventive treatment of migraine. METHODS: Observational, multicenter, prospective cohort study. The 50%, 75% and 30% responder rates, between weeks 8-12 and 20-24, were compared with the baseline. Treatment emergent adverse effects were systematically evaluated. Response predictors were estimated by multivariate regression models. RESULTS: Eighty-six patients were included, 79.1% females, aged 39.5 (inter-quartile range [IQR] 26.3-50.3), with chronic migraine (43.0%), medication overuse headache (55.8%) and a median of two (inter-quartile range: 0.75-3) prior preventive treatments. At baseline patients had 14 (10-24) headache and 8 (5-11) migraine days per month. The 30%, 50% and 75% responder rates were 40%, 34.9% and 15.1% between weeks 8-12, and 48.8%, 36%, and 18.6% between weeks 20-24. Adverse effects were reported by 30 (34.9%) and 13 (15.1%) patients between weeks 0-12 and 12-24, leading to discontinuation in 15 (17.4%) patients. Chronic migraine, depression, headache days per month, medication overuse headache, and daily headache at baseline predicted the response between weeks 20-24. CONCLUSION: Candesartan effectiveness and tolerability in migraine prevention was in line with the clinical trials' efficacy.Trial registration: The study protocol is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04138316).

Evaluation of the concomitant use of prophylactic treatments in patients with migraine under anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide therapies: The PREVENAC study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) therapies are recent preventive therapies approved for both episodic and chronic migraine. One of the measures of effectiveness is the withdrawal of other preventive treatments. The objective of this study is to quantify the impact of anti-CGRP drugs in concomitant preventive treatment in patients with migraine. METHODS: This was an observational, retrospective, multicenter cohort study with patients from nine national headache units. Patients with migraine undergoing treatment for at least 6 months with anti-CGRP antibodies, who were initially associated with some preventive treatment (oral and/or onabotulinumtoxinA) were included. Demographic and clinical variables were collected, as well as variables related to headache. Differences according to withdrawal or nonwithdrawal were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 408 patients were included, 86.52% women, 48.79 (SD = 1.46) years old. Preventive treatment was withdrawn in 43.87% (179/408), 20.83% partially and 23.04% totally. In 27.45% (112/408), it was maintained exclusively due to comorbidity and in 28.6% (117/408) due to partial efficacy. The most frequent time of withdrawal was between 3 and 5 months after the start of treatment. The baseline characteristics associated with nonwithdrawal were comorbidities: insomnia, hypertension and obesity, chronic migraine, and medication overuse. In the multivariate analysis, the absence of high blood pressure, a greater number of preventive treatments at the start, and a lower number of migraine days/month after anti-CGRP treatment were independently associated with withdrawal of the treatment (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Anti-CGRP antibodies allow the withdrawal of associated preventive treatment in a significant percentage of patients, which supports its effectiveness in real-life conditions.

RE-START: Exploring the effectiveness of anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide resumption after discontinuation in migraine.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: According to the latest European guidelines, discontinuation of monoclonal antibodies against calcitonin gene-related peptide (anti-CGRP MAb) may be considered after 12-18 months of treatment. However, some patients may worsen after discontinuation. In this study, we assessed the response following treatment resumption. METHODS: This was a prospective study conducted in 14 Headache Units in Spain. We included patients with response to anti-CGRP MAb with clinical worsening after withdrawal and resumption of treatment. Numbers of monthly migraine days (MMD) and monthly headache days (MHD) were obtained at four time points: before starting anti-CGRP MAb (T-baseline); last month of first treatment period (T-suspension); month of restart due to worsening (T-worsening); and 3 months after resumption (T-reintroduction). The response rate to resumption was calculated. Possible differences among periods were analysed according to MMD and MHD. RESULTS: A total of 360 patients, 82% women, with a median (interquartile range [IQR]) age at migraine onset of 18 (12) years. The median (IQR) MHD at T-baseline was 20 (13) and MMD was 5 (6); at T-suspension, the median (IQR) MHD was 5 (6) and MMD was 4 (5); at T-worsening, the median (IQR) MHD was 16 (13) and MMD was 12 (6); and at T-reintroduction, the median (IQR) MHD was 8 (8) and MHD was 5 (5). In the second period of treatment, a 50% response rate was achieved by 57.4% of patients in MHD and 65.8% in MMD. Multivariate models showed significant differences in MHD between the third month after reintroduction and last month before suspension of first treatment period (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that anti-CGRP MAb therapy is effective after reintroduction. However, 3 months after resumption, one third of the sample reached the same improvement as after the first treatment period.

Headache in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: Migraine prevalence according to the Migraine Screening-Questionnaire (MS-Q) and headache characteristics.

BACKGROUND: The gut-brain axis describes a complex bidirectional association between neurological and gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. In patients with migraine, GI comorbidities are common. We aimed to evaluate the presence of migraine among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) according to Migraine Screen-Questionnaire (MS-Q) and describe the headache characteristics compared to a control group. Additionally, we explored the relationship between migraine and IBD severities. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study through an online survey including patients from the IBD Unit at our tertiary hospital. Clinical and demographic variables were collected. MS-Q was used for migraine evaluation. Headache disability scale HIT-6, anxiety-depression scale HADS, sleep scale ISI, and activity scale Harvey-Bradshaw and Partial Mayo scores were also included. RESULTS: We evaluated 66 IBD patients and 47 controls. Among IBD patients, 28/66 (42%) were women, mean age 42 years and 23/66 (34.84%) had ulcerative colitis. MS-Q was positive in 13/49 (26.5%) of IBD patients and 4/31 (12.91%) controls (p=0.172). Among IBD patients, headache was unilateral in 5/13 (38%) and throbbing in 10/13 (77%). Migraine was associated with female sex (p=0.006), lower height (p=0.003) and weight (p=0.002), anti-TNF treatment (p=0.035). We did not find any association between HIT-6 and IBD activity scales scores. CONCLUSIONS: Migraine presence according to MS-Q could be higher in patients with IBD than controls. We recommend migraine screening in these patients, especially in female patients with lower height and weight and anti-TNF treatment.

Effectiveness, tolerability, and response predictors of preventive anti-CGRP mAbs for migraine in patients over 65 years old: a multicenter real-world case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinical characteristics, effectiveness, and tolerability of preventive anti- calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in the elderly. Anti-CGRP mAbs have demonstrated efficacy and safety in patients with migraine although there is limited information regarding the elderly. DESIGN: We performed a multicenter case-control study of cases (patients over 65 years old) and controls (sex-matched patients under 55 years old) with migraine receiving anti-CGRP mAbs. METHODS: We included the demographic characteristics, effectiveness-reduction in the number of monthly headache days (MHD) and monthly migraine days (MMD), 30%, 50%, and 75% responder rates-and treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs). The primary endpoint was the 50% response rate regarding MHD at weeks 20-24; exploratory 50% response predictors in the elderly were evaluated. RESULTS: In total, 228 patients were included: 114 cases , 114 controls-. Among cases 84.2% (96/114) were women, 79.8% (91/114) CM; mean age of cases 70.1 years old (range: 66-86); mean age of controls was 42.9 years old(range: 38-49). Cases had a higher percentage of vascular risk factors (P < .05),older age of onset (P < .001) and more reported prior preventive treatments (P < .001). Regarding effectiveness in cases, 50% response rate was achieved by 57.5% (42/73) at 20-24 weeks, with lower reduction in the MHD at 8-12 weeks (5 [7.2], 8 [9.1]; P = .001) and a higher reduction in MMD at 20-24 weeks (10.7 [9.1], 9.2 [7.7]; P = .04) compared to the control group. The percentage of TEAEs was similar in the 2 groups. Diagnosis of episodic migraine (EM) (P = .03) and lower number of MHD at baseline (P = .001) were associated with a 50% response in the elderly in univariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides real world evidence of effectiveness and safety of anti-CGRP mAbs for migraine in patients without upper age-limit and possible predictors of anti-CGRP response in the elderly.

Potential Predictors of Response to CGRP Monoclonal Antibodies in Chronic Migraine: Real-World Data.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Real-world data (RWD) has identified potential predictors of response to anti-CGRP therapies in patients with chronic migraine (CM). This review aims to synthesize the most remarkable findings published to date regarding this topic. RECENT FINDINGS: Migraine features such as unilateral pain and positive triptan response and chronic features such as daily headache or medication overuse (MO) emerge as predictors of positive outcomes, potentially linked to elevated baseline serum anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide (anti-CGRP) levels. Demographic and baseline characteristics, encompassing obesity, psychiatric comorbidities, and prior refractoriness to prophylactic treatments, are associated with poor responses in both treatment-naïve patients and after-switch scenarios. Nevertheless, the consistency of these predictors across diverse populations requires further investigation. Recent RWD literature highlights emerging predictors of response of different sources among patients with CM receiving anti-CGRP therapies. Comprehending these predictors and identifying novel biomarkers of response hold the potential to refine treatment strategies for CM patients, enhancing their management and therapeutic outcomes.

Headache attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection, vaccination and the impact on primary headache disorders of the COVID-19 pandemic: A comprehensive review.

OBJECTIVE: The objective is to summarize the knowledge on the epidemiology, pathophysiology and management of secondary headache attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination; as well as to delineate their impact on primary headache disorders. METHODS: This is a narrative review of the literature regarding primary and secondary headache disorders in the setting of COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a literature search in 2022 on PubMed, with the keywords "COVID 19" or "vaccine" and "headache" to assess the appropriateness of all published articles for their inclusion in the review. RESULTS: Headache is a common and sometimes difficult-to-treat symptom of both the acute and post-acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Different pathophysiological mechanisms may be involved, with the trigeminovascular system as a plausible target. Specific evidence-based effective therapeutic options are lacking at present. Headache attributed to SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations is also common, its pathophysiology being unclear. People with primary headache disorders experience headache in the acute phase of COVID-19 and after vaccination more commonly than the general population. Pandemic measures, forcing lifestyle changes, seemed to have had a positive impact on migraine, and changes in headache care (telemedicine) have been effectively introduced. CONCLUSIONS: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is a global challenge, having an impact on the development of secondary headaches, both in people with or without primary headaches. This has created opportunities to better understand and treat headache and to potentiate strategies to manage patients and ensure care.

DNA Methylation Description of Hippocampus, Cortex, Amygdala, and Blood of Drug-Resistant Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

Epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation were observed in drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (DR-TLE), a disease that affects 25-30% of epilepsy patients. The main objective is to simultaneously describe DNA methylation patterns associated with DR-TLE in hippocampus, amygdala, surrounding cortex to the epileptogenic zone (SCEZ), and peripheral blood. An Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip array was performed in 19 DR-TLE patients and 10 postmortem non-epileptic controls. Overall, 32, 59, and 3210 differentially methylated probes (DMPs) were associated with DR-TLE in the hippocampus, amygdala, and SCEZ, respectively. These DMP-affected genes were involved in neurotrophic and calcium signaling in the hippocampus and voltage-gated channels in SCEZ, among others. One of the hippocampus DMPs (cg26834418 (CHORDC1)) showed a strong blood-brain correlation with BECon and IMAGE-CpG, suggesting that it could be a potential surrogate peripheral biomarker of DR-TLE. Moreover, in three of the top SCEZ's DMPs (SHANK3, SBF1, and MCF2L), methylation status was verified with methylation-specific qPCR. The differentially methylated CpGs were classified in DMRs: 2 in the hippocampus, 12 in the amygdala, and 531 in the SCEZ. We identified genes that had not been associated to DR-TLE so far such as TBX5, EXOC7, and WRHN. The area with more DMPs associated with DR-TLE was the SCEZ, some of them related to voltage-gated channels. The DMPs found in the amygdala were involved in inflammatory processes. We also found a potential surrogate peripheral biomarker of DR-TLE. Thus, these results provide new insights into epigenetic modifications involved in DR-TLE.

Amitriptyline for post-COVID headache: effectiveness, tolerability, and response predictors.

BACKGROUND: Headache is one of the most frequently reported symptoms in post-COVID patients. The clinical phenotype of COVID-19 headache combines phenotypic features of both tension-type headache (TTH) and migraine. We aimed to assess the effectiveness, side effects and predictors of amitriptyline (AMT) response in a real-world study setting. METHODS: We performed an observational multicentric study with a retrospective cohort. All consecutive patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection who received AMT for post-COVID headache from March 2020 to May 2021 were included. Response was evaluated by the reduction in the number of headache days per month (HDM) between weeks 8 and 12, compared with the baseline. We explored which variables were associated with a higher probability of response to AMT. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients were eligible for the study, 40/48 (83.3%) females, aged 46.85 (SD: 13.59) years. Patients had history of migraine 15/48 (31.3%) or TTH 5/48 (10.4%). The mean reduction of HDM was 9.6 (SD: 10.9; 95% CI 6.5, 12.7) days. Only 2/48 (5%) of patients discontinued AMT due to poor tolerability. History of TTH (10.9, 95% CI 1.3, 20.6) and nausea (- 8.5, 95% CI - 14.6, - 2.5) were associated with AMT response. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides real-world evidence of the potential benefit of AMT in patients with post-COVID-19 headache, especially in patients with history of TTH and without concomitant nausea.

Machine-learning-based approach for predicting response to anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor or ligand antibody treatment in patients with migraine: A multicenter Spanish study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Several variables have been reported to be associated with anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor or ligand antibody response, but with differing results. Our objective was to determine whether machine-learning (ML)-based models can predict 6-, 9- and 12-month responses to anti-CGRP receptor or ligand therapies among migraine patients. METHODS: We performed a multicenter analysis of prospectively collected data from patients with migraine receiving anti-CGRP therapies. Demographic and clinical variables were collected. Response rates in the 30% to 50% range, or at least 30%, in the 50% to 75% range, or at least 50%, and response rate of at least 75% regarding the reduction in the number of headache days per month at 6, 9 and 12 months were calculated. A sequential forward feature selector was used for variable selection and ML-based predictive models for the response to anti-CGRP therapies at 6, 9 and 12 months, with model accuracy not less than 70%, were generated. RESULTS: A total of 712 patients were included, 93% were women, and the mean (SD) age was 48 (11.6) years. Eighty-four percent of patients had chronic migraine. ML-based models using headache days/month, migraine days/month and the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) yielded predictions with an F1 score range of 0.70-0.97 and an area under the receiver-operating curve score range of 0.87-0.98. SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) summary plots and dependence plots were generated to evaluate the relevance of the factors associated with the prediction of the above-mentioned response rates. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that ML models can predict anti-CGRP response at 6, 9 and 12 months. This study provides a predictive tool that can be used in a real-world setting.

Treatment of migraine with monoclonal antibodies.

INTRODUCTION: In the few last years, a new family of drugs, anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), has been developed for migraine therapy. Anti-CGRP mAbs are highly effective, but the current limited experience with their use and their high-cost warrant establishing certain rules of use. AREAS COVERED: The present review provides an overview of the management of migraine patients, especially those who are undergoing treatment with anti-CGRP mAbs. EXPERT OPINION: Thanks to new research focused on the pathophysiology of migraine, and the discovery that CGRP plays a key role in its etiopathogenesis, new drugs targeting CGRP have been developed. These drugs have led to a paradigm shift, anticipating new and stimulating possibilities in migraine treatment. While physicians and patients are full of expectation about the advantages of this new family of drugs, there are still obstacles to overcome in order to make the best use of them. It is essential to form multidisciplinary teams that can identify patients who will benefit from these therapies, conducting cost-effective treatments. The follow-up of these therapies in the coming years is paramount due to the lack of experience in the management of these drugs and the peculiarity of disease evolution in migraine patients.

"The Triptan's Hangover": A Multicentric Cross-sectional Observational Study of the Adverse Events of Triptans in Patients With Migraine.

ABSTRACT: The emergence of triptans represented a breakthrough in the treatment of migraine, but in clinical practice, patients describe symptoms that resemble those of a hangover after taking them. We propose the use of the Hangover Symptoms Scale (HSS) to evaluate this syndrome in patients that take triptans, which may help identify patients at higher risk of presenting these adverse effects that may interfere with therapeutic compliance.A cross-sectional observational pilot study with prospective data collection through a clinical-demographic questionnaire and the HSS was carried out on patients with migraine treated in headache units in 3 tertiary hospitals in Madrid.Sixty-six patients were included in the study. The median HSS was 4 and all symptoms were present in at least 15% of the patients, with difficulty to concentrate being the most frequent (57.6%). No significant differences were found between the presence of a higher HSS score and the sociodemographic characteristics of the patient or his migraine. The presence of aura was associated with a higher percentage of trembling (P = 0.029) and fatigue (nonvisual, polymodal auras; P = 0.017).According to our study, triptans are responsible for a set of symptoms overlapping with those that occur during a hangover. Therefore, we propose that the HSS could be a useful tool for the evaluation and quantification of these effects in patients receiving triptans. In addition, we found that clinical features could be more frequently associated with the appearance of these adverse effects that, however, are not related to any particular patient profile.

Post-COVID-19 persistent headache: A multicentric 9-months follow-up study of 905 patients.

BACKGROUND: Headache is a frequent symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Its long-term evolution remains unknown. We aim to evaluate the long-term duration of headache in patients that presented headache during the acute phase of COVID-19. METHODS: This is a post-hoc multicenter ambisective study including patients from six different third-level hospitals between 1 March and 27 April 2020. Patients completed 9 months of neurological follow-up. RESULTS: We included 905 patients. Their median age was 51 (IQR 45-65), 66.5% were female, and 52.7% had a prior history of primary headache. The median duration of headache was 14 (6-39) days; however, the headache persisted after 3 months in 19.0% (95% CI: 16.5-21.8%) and after 9 months in 16.0% (95% confidence interval: 13.7-18.7%). Headache intensity during the acute phase was associated with a more prolonged duration of headache (Hazard ratio 0.655; 95% confidence interval: 0.582-0.737). CONCLUSION: The median duration of headache was 2 weeks, but in approximately a fifth of patients it became persistent and followed a chronic daily pattern.

Clinical characteristics and perfusion-computed tomography alterations in a series of patients with migraine with aura attended as stroke code.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study was to determine the clinical characteristics of migraine with aura (MA) as well as the frequency and patterns of perfusion-computed tomography (PCT) alterations, in a series of patients with MA mimicking acute ischemic stroke. BACKGROUND: MA is one of the most frequent stroke mimics, following seizures and psychiatric disorders. Previous case reports and short series have reported abnormal PCT patterns in patients with MA. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study including all consecutive patients presenting with focal neurological symptoms during complete multimodal CT including baseline CT, angio-CT, and PCT with a final diagnosis of MA. We collected demographic data and clinical information about MA variables using the hospital electronic database. RESULTS: We found 25 patients with a final diagnosis of MA among 1761 patients who attended our stroke center with complete multimodal CT (1.4% [95% CI: 0.9-2.1]). Among them, 14/25 (56%) were women, average age 38.7 years (SD 12.5), and 16/25 (64%) had a previous history of migraine. The most frequent type of aura was sensory. The median time elapsed between the onset of symptoms and CT was 171 min (IQR: 119-244). PCT alteration was found in 3/25 (12%) consisting of a hypoperfusion pattern not restricted to a vascular territory. The three patients had aphasia as the presenting symptom. CONCLUSION: This is, to the best of our knowledge, the largest series of patients with MA managed as presumed stroke with clinical characteristics and PCT. In our study, most patients were young and had a prior history of migraine. PCT was normal in 88% of cases, with patients being still symptomatic by the time they were scanned. Further research will clarify the presence and type of PCT alterations in this entity.

Are doctors accurate when diagnosing themselves with migraine? A study on migraine prevalence among doctors in a tertiary care hospital.

Migraine is considered an underdiagnosed disease in general population. Different studies show a higher prevalence in neurologists. However, there are few studies about its prevalence in doctors of other specialties, where it could also be superior than in general population. Our aim was to define migraine lifetime prevalence among doctors according to three parameters (previous diagnosis, self-diagnosis and positivity of a screening test). Single-center, descriptive, cross-sectional study based on online surveys with collection of sociodemographic and clinical variables, addressed to doctors of a tertiary hospital. Participants who reported 5 or more headaches throughout their lives were considered "headache sufferers" and were divided in different groups according to their position (specialists or trainees) and their specialty (medical, medical-surgical and surgical or specialties with no direct contact with the patient). The Spanish validated version of the Migraine Screen Questionnaire (MS-Q) was used as screening test. There were 217 participants (response rate of 29%), 72% were women and 56% trainees, mean age 34 years (SD10). 77% were "headache sufferers" Among all participants, migraine lifetime prevalence according to diagnosis by another physician was 15.2%, self-diagnosis 38.2% and positivity of the MS-Q 20.3%; those categories were not mutually exclusive Greater but not statistically significant coexistence of self-diagnosis and positive MS-Q was seen in specialists compared to trainees and in medical specialties. Migraine prevalence among doctors in a tertiary care hospital was higher than in general population, according to all three parameters analyzed. Self-diagnosis was the highest which could reflect an overdiagnosis; further studies are needed to determine this possibility.

Effects of the onabotulinumtoxinA follow-up delay in migraine course during the COVID-19 lockdown.

BACKGROUND: Face-to-face procedures have been postponed during COVID-19 pandemic. We aim to evaluate the impact of onabotulinumtoxinA follow-up delay in migraine during COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Subjective worsening, intensity of migraine attacks, and frequency of headache and migraine were retrospectively compared between patients with unmodified and interrupted onabotulinumtoxinA follow-up in Headache Units. RESULTS: We included 67 patients with chronic migraine or high-frequency episodic migraine under onabotulinumtoxinA treatment, 65 (97.0%) female, 44.5 ± 12.1 years old. Treatment administration was voluntarily delayed in 14 (20.9%) patients and nine (13.4%) were unable to continue follow-up. Patients with uninterrupted follow-up during lockdown presented 7.6 and 8.1 less monthly days with headache (adjusted p = 0.017) and migraine attacks (adjusted p = 0.009) compared to patients whose follow-up was interrupted, respectively. CONCLUSION: Involuntary delay of onabotulinumtoxinA follow-up in patients with migraine due to COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a higher frequency of headache and migraine attacks. Safe administration of onabotulinumtoxinA during lockdown should be promoted.

Headache History-Taking in an Emergency Department: Impact Evaluation of a Training Session.

INTRODUCTION: Headache represents about 25% of the total neurological consultations at the emergency department (ED). Up to 80% of these consultations are represented by primary headaches, in which an accurate and directed history-taking may help reach the specific diagnosis avoiding unnecessary complementary tests and reducing diagnostic latencies. METHODS: We carried out a training session on headache management at the ED, focusing on history-taking and primary headaches' diagnoses and management. We retrospectively compared the number of variables included in the medical reports and the percentage of patients who were diagnosed and/or treated for a primary headache between two months before and two months after the training session. RESULTS: A total of 369 medical histories were analyzed for this study (196 before and 173 after the training session). The number of essential variables regarding pain characteristics included in the medical reports showed a post-intervention increment from 4.34 ± 1.224 to 4.67 ± 1.079 (P = .007) and the number of total items registered also increased from 6.87 ± 1.982 to 7.53 ± 1.686 (P = 0.001). The percentage of patients that were given a specific diagnosis for primary headache showed an increment of 11.8% (P = .002) in the post-intervention group. CONCLUSION: Educational interventions can improve history-taking in headache patients in the ED. This fact grants them as potential efficient measures to optimize patient management at Emergency Room.

Evaluation of the Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown in the Clinical Course of Migraine.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have demonstrated that emotional stress, changes in lifestyle habits and infections can worsen the clinical course of migraine. We hypothesize that changes in habits and medical care during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown might have worsened the clinical course of migraine. DESIGN: Retrospective survey study collecting online responses from migraine patients followed-up by neurologists at three tertiary hospitals between June and July 2020. METHODS: We used a web-based survey that included demographic data, clinical variables related with any headache (frequency) and migraine (subjective worsening, frequency, and intensity), lockdown, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress. RESULTS: The response rate of the survey was 239/324 (73.8%). The final analysis included 222 subjects. Among them, 201/222 (90.5%) were women, aged 42.5 ± 12.0 (mean±SD). Subjective improvement of migraine during lockdown was reported in 31/222 participants (14.0%), while worsening in 105/222 (47.3%) and was associated with changes in migraine triggers such as stress related to going outdoors and intake of specific foods or drinks. Intensity of attacks increased in 67/222 patients (30.2%), and it was associated with the subjective worsening, female sex, recent insomnia, and use of acute medication during a headache. An increase in monthly days with any headache was observed in 105/222 patients (47.3%) and was related to symptoms of post-traumatic stress, older age and living with five or more people. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately half the migraine patients reported worsening of their usual pain during the lockdown. Worse clinical course in migraine patients was related to changes in triggers and the emotional impact of the lockdown.