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3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache
Published on: June 2, 2014
Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on patients with migraine: a web-based survey study
Jasem Y Al-Hashel1,2, Ismail Ibrahim Ismail3
1Department of Neurology, Ibn Sina Hospital, Sabah Medical Region, Kuwait.
Insights
The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted migraine patients, increasing headache frequency, severity, and medication overuse. Psychosocial well-being and access to care were significantly affected, highlighting the need for new strategies.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic presented significant challenges to healthcare systems globally, particularly for patients with chronic conditions like migraine.
- Migraine patients were identified as a vulnerable group susceptible to inadequate medical care during the pandemic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the real-world impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with migraine.
- To identify key risk factors associated with poor outcomes in migraine patients during the pandemic.
Main Methods:
- An anonymous, online, self-reported survey was administered to 1018 patients with migraine between July 15-30, 2020.
- The survey collected data on demographics, migraine characteristics, COVID-19 impact, and psychosocial variables, including changes in frequency, severity, treatment compliance, and mental health.
Main Results:
- A significant increase in migraine frequency (59.6%) and severity (64.1%) was reported compared to the pre-pandemic period.
- Many patients experienced challenges including medication overuse (58.7%), lack of communication with neurologists (61.5%), and negative impacts from cancelled Botox treatments (66.1%).
- High rates of sleep disturbance (78.1%) and symptoms of anxiety and/or depression (79.5%) were prevalent among respondents.
Conclusions:
- The COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial negative effect on the management and well-being of patients with migraine.
- Factors such as increased headache frequency, medication overuse, and psychosocial distress were identified as significant risk factors for poor outcomes.
- The findings underscore the necessity for developing and implementing long-term strategies to ensure quality care for migraine patients, with a focus on their psychosocial health.
Background:
Since the declaration COVID-19 as a pandemic, healthcare systems around the world have faced a huge challenge in managing patients with chronic diseases. Patients with migraine were specifically vulnerable to inadequate medical care. We aimed to investigate the "real-world" impact of COVID-19 pandemic on migraine patients, and to identify risk factors for poor outcome.
Methods:
We administered an online, self-reported survey that included demographic, migraine-related, COVID-19-specific and overall psychosocial variables between July 15 and July 30, 2020. We recruited a sample of patients with migraine from headache clinic registry and via social media to complete an anonymous survey. Outcomes included demographic variables, change in migraine frequency and severity during the lockdown period, communication with treating physician, compliance to migraine treatment, difficulty in getting medications, medication overuse, symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, sleep and eating habits disturbance, screen time exposure, work during pandemic, use of traditional medicine, effect of Botox injection cancellation, and overall worries and concerns during pandemic.
Results:
A total of 1018 patients completed the survey. Of the respondents, 859 (84.3%) were females; 733 (71.9%) were aged 20 to 40 years, 630 (61.8%) were married, and 466 (45.7%) reported working during the pandemic. In comparison to pre-pandemic period, 607 respondents (59.6%) reported increase in migraine frequency, 163 (16%) reported decrease in frequency, and 105 (10.3%) transformed to chronic migraine. Severity was reported to increase by 653 (64.1%) respondents. The majority of respondents; 626 (61.5%) did not communicate with their neurologists, 477 (46.9%) reported compliance to treatment, and 597 (58.7%) reported overuse of analgesics. Botox injections cancellation had a negative impact on 150 respondents (66.1%) from those receiving it. Forty-one respondents (4%) were infected with COVID-19; 26 (63.4%) reported worsening of their headaches amid infection period. Sleep disturbance was reported by 794 (78.1%) of respondents, and 809 (79.5%) reported having symptoms of anxiety and/or depression.
Conclusions And Relevance:
COVID-19 pandemic had an overall negative impact on patients with migraine. Several risk factors for poor outcome were identified. Long-term strategies should be validated and implemented to deliver quality care for patients with migraine, with emphasis on psychosocial well-being.
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