Pharmacoepidemiology of triptans in a headache centre

Abstract

Aims: The aims of this survey were: (i) to examine the pharmacoepidemiology of triptans in a headache centre; (ii) to compare the characteristics of patients who continued to take triptans with those of patients who had discontinued them. Methods: We enrolled all migraine patients according to ICHD-II criteria, ensuring they were over 18 years of age, consecutively examined during a follow-up visit at the Headache Centre of the University Hospital of Modena from October 2008 to March 2009. Only patients who had used or were using a triptan were included. A specific questionnaire about the use and tolerability of triptans was created for the study and administered to every patient. Results: On the whole, 343 patients (migraine without aura: 72%; chronic migraine: 26%; migraine with aura: 2%; mean age 40.4 ± 10 years) had used or were using triptans. Most patients (72%) continued to use triptans, above all for their efficacy. The minority (28%) discontinuing them were younger and suffered from less severe migraine; 59% of them had discontinued triptans because of adverse effects. Indeed, 92% of these patients versus 57% of patients who were currently using triptans reported adverse effects ( p < .0001, Fisher’s exact test). The number of patients reporting adverse effects significantly decreased with age ( r = −0.230, p < .005, simple linear regression analysis). The triptan discontinued by the highest percentage of patients (84%) was subcutaneous 6 mg sumatriptan. Significantly more patients reported adverse effects with subcutaneous 6 mg (89%) and tablet 100 mg sumatriptan (67%) than with any other triptan. Conclusions: The increase of the tolerability of triptans with age could partly explain why younger patients suffering from less severe migraine tend to discontinue triptans more than older patients suffering from more severe migraine. In the latter, the efficacy and better tolerability (but not necessarily safety) of triptans could foster the overuse of these medications.