A Retrospective Analysis of Impact of Triptans and CGRP on Monthly Migraine Days (MMD) in Migraine Patients in the USA

OBJECTIVES: This study examines the effectiveness of CGRP drugs, approved in 2018 for migraines, compared to traditional triptans. Treatment success is measured by changes in monthly migraine days and impact on the MIDAS score, assessing migraine-related disability and quality of life.

METHODS: This retrospective study utilized the Optum de-identified Market Clarity database to evaluate the treatment patterns and outcomes of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of migraine. Inclusion criteria required at least one claim or electronic health record (EHR) entry with specific ICD-10 codes for migraines between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2022. The index date was defined as the first claim or EHR entry for migraine diagnosis, and patients with any prior claim or EHR diagnosis for migraines in the six months preceding the index date were excluded. A 12-month follow-up period was used to observe treatment patterns in the included patients. Monthly migraine days were calculated using natural language processing (NLP) techniques, and the MIDAS score was assessed to evaluate the relationship between migraine frequency and functional disability.

RESULTS: This study included 1,037,075 patients to evaluate the incidence and treatment patterns of migraines. The highest incidence was observed in the >30-50 years age group, followed by >50 years, with the lowest incidence in the 18-30 years age group. Females were significantly more affected (80.11%) compared to males (19.87%). Triptans were the preferred treatment (30.77%) over CGRP drugs (5.78%). The impact of both treatments on monthly migraine days is being analyzed using NLP, with further analysis to explore the relationship between changes in monthly migraine days and the MIDAS score.

CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the incidence and treatment patterns of migraines, emphasizing gender differences and treatment preferences.