Abstract
BACKGROUND: Insurance data allow insights into dispensations of medications. This retrospective study over 49 months examined dispensations of monoclonal antibodies against calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP-mAbs). METHODS: Using nationwide insurance data, we examined dispensations of erenumab, fremanezumab, or galcanezumab from September 1, 2018 to September 30, 2022. We examined the duration of treatment and breaks (Kaplan-Meier curves, medians, quartiles), persistence (proportion of days covered), and switches, acute medications, and other preventatives. RESULTS: Of 8.8 million persons, 8934 were at least once dispensed a CGRP-mAb (83.5% women, median age 45 years). Median individual follow-up time was 710 days, median duration of treatment with any CGRP-mAb was 297 days, 42.9% had CGRP-mAbs for at least 1 year. Median duration of treatment with the first-ever CGRP-mAb was 327 days; 63.4% experienced a therapy break. Within 1 year after stopping, 53.5% resumed the same CGRP-mAb, 16.9% another CGRP-mAb, 29.6% did not resume any CGRP-mAb; 13.7% started a second CGRP-mAb and 1.7% a third. 22% definitively stopped therapy within their follow-up. Dispensation of triptans decreased during and after therapy with CGRP-mAbs; dispensation of other acute prescription medications was low without change. 11.4% had other preventatives before and 2.4% during CGRP-mAb therapy. The proportion of days covered was 96%. CONCLUSIONS: In this nationwide study persistence with CGRP-mAbs was excellent; dispensations of triptans and other preventatives decreased during CGRP-mAb therapy. Therapy breaks were common, but the majority resumed CGRP-mAbs, which indicates the need for long-term prophylaxis.