OBJECTIVES

To find out the current clinical and economic impact of migraine on US healthcare system.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Google to retrieve the article related to burden of migraine in USA, published from 1 January 2016 to 1 September 2017. Relevant data was extracted and analysed.

RESULTS

Total 12 articles/abstracts were found suitable to include. Retrieved evidence suggest that migraine is a common disabling primary headache disorder affecting an estimated 22.7% (72 million) of the general population of America including 16.2% adults (in 2011). The estimated annual costs to treat migraine was $78 billion (2014$) that was almost 10% of total annual costs ($789 billion; 2014$) for treating nine the most common neurological diseases in US. Moreover, mean total annual treatment costs of chronic migraine (CM) ($8,414, 2014$) was almost three times that of episodic migraine ($2,706, 2014$). Migraine is associated with loss of work productivity. According to American migraine foundation, loss of 113 million workdays, costing employers more than 13 billion dollars each year due to migraine. Chronic healthcare conditions like diabetes, depression, heart disease etc. raise the migraine treatment costs and disability. As per medical expenditure panel survey (2008-2013) healthcare spending per capita was 60% higher ($1,796 vs. $1,110) among disabled compared to non-disabled CM patients with other chronic healthcare conditions in 2013. Migraine is associated with significant healthcare resource utilization. Approximately 1% patients with CM were hospitalized accounting 10% of total migraine treatment costs while 43% of patients received care in a physician’s office, accounting for 24 % of total chronic migraine spending in 2013.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of current literature review suggest that there is a significant burden of migraine on US healthcare system. The more effective policies for treatment and management of migraine are needed for better possible outcomes