Erenumab does not alter cerebral hemodynamics and endothelial function in migraine without aura

Abstract

Objective To assess whether erenumab influences cerebral vasomotor reactivity and flow-mediated dilation in migraine patients. Methods Consecutive migraineurs prescribed erenumab at our Headache Centre and age and sex-matching controls were invited to participate in this observational longitudinal study. Patients were evaluated for cerebral vasomotor reactivity to hypercapnia (breath-holding index) in middle and posterior cerebral arteries and for brachial corrected flow mediated dilation at baseline (T0), after 2 weeks from the first erenumab injection (T2) and after 2 weeks from the fourth Erenumab injection (T18). Patients displaying a reduction of at least 50% in monthly migraine days after completing the fourth month of therapy were classified as responders. Results Sixty patients and 25 controls agreed to participate. Middle and posterior cerebral artery mean flow velocities, breath-holding index and flow-mediated dilation did not differ at T0 and from T0 to T2 in patients and controls. In patients, we neither observed a variation of the explored variables from T0 to T18 nor an interaction between evaluation times (T0–T2 or T0–T18) and chronic condition at T0, responder state or erenumab fourth dose. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that erenumab preserves cerebral vasomotor reactivity and flow-mediated dilation in migraineurs without aura.