Assessing Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Migraine

Abstract

Background:The place of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instruments in clinical research trials and clinical practice as compared to more traditional clinical outcome measures such as headache intensity and frequency is unclear.Objectives:To review the current status of HRQoL measurement in migraine.Methods:A literature search was done for HRQoL and migraine. Selected articles dealing with migraine and commonly used HRQoL instruments and HRQoL measures used in recent clinical trials were reviewed.Results:Several general and migraine specific HRQoLinstruments can detect changes over time in response to at least major changes in migraine therapy. Both also show a correlation with clinical headache features. However, their sensitivity to detect clinically significant changes over time is not clear.Conclusion:The SF-36, a general HRQoLmeasure and several migraine-specific HRQoL instruments are useful endpoints for migraine clinical trials. Their role in clinical practice is yet to be established.