Symptomatic treatment for migraine. Drugs used and related variables. Results of the european survey on work and migraine

Abstract

Objectives: To know the use of symptomatic treatments for migraine attacks in different countries of Europe and the differences observed in terms of social and demographic variables. Material and methods: Cross-sectional observational study by using anonymous web survey of 3342 patients from Spain. Italy. France. Portugal. Ireland. the United Kingdom. Germany and other countries of the European Union. Study variables: Age. gender. country. type of locality. level of education and rural or urban setting. The symptomatic treatments that were reported are: Simple analgesics. non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. triptans. other treatments. various treatments. no treatment. lack of knowledge of symptomatic treatment. Results: In simple analgesics. the largest consumers are between 41-60 years old (p < 0.0001). Spain and Germany are countries using more simple analgesics (p < 0.0001). The highest use of anti-inflammatory drugs is between 21-60 years (p < 0.0001). Spain. Italy. and Germany are the countries that use them most (p < 0.0001) and consume most in patients with higher education (p < 0.003). The use of triptans is associated with age and sex. with increased use between 21-60 years (p < 0.0001) and in women (p < 0.0001). By country. the highest consumption is in Germany. other European Union countries. Spain and the United Kingdom (p < 0.0001). Higher consumption was found in patients living in cities with more than 500 inhabitants (p < 0.010) and who have completed intermediate or higher education (p < 0.0001). In the intermediate and higher education group. the highest percentage of patients who do not know what symptomatic treatment means is found (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: There is a great variability of results in each country and they are modified according to different social and demographic conditions. being age. sex. the rural or urban setting and the cultural level the factors that most condition the use of each symptomatic drug for migraine attacks.