Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Erenumab, a calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonist, has been approved for migraine prophylaxis. It represents an alternative for patients with multiple treatment failures, who have a low quality of life and high associated disability. AIM: To analyse the effectiveness and safety of erenumab during the first year of treatment and to assess its impact on quality of life and disability. PATIENTS AND METHODS: It is a longitudinal prospective observational study conducted over 15 months. Patients who met the funding criteria for erenumab were included. Data concerning years of illness, migraine days/month, pain intensity, previous treatments, doses and adverse effects were collected. In addition, quality of life and disability were assessed using the Migraine-Specific Quality Of Life Questionnaire 2.1 and Migraine Disability Assessment Scale, repeated at three and 12 months. RESULTS: Forty-three patients were included, 79.1% female, 95.3% with chronic migraine and with a mean age of 48.2 years. Prior to erenumab they had 20 migraine days/month, a pain intensity of 8.2 and a 30.6% quality of life, and 72.5% had very severe disability. Fifteen patients stopped taking erenumab due to inefficacy and one due to intolerance. Thirteen received erenumab for one year and 14 continued with the treatment. All four effectiveness variables were significantly improved with erenumab by the third month. Fifteen patients (34.9%) had adverse effects, most of which were mild. Constipation was the most frequent. CONCLUSIONS: Erenumab proved effective in most patients for migraine prophylaxis in the first three months, significantly reducing the number of migraine days/month, pain intensity and associated disability. Moreover, it significantly improved their quality of life . It is a safe drug.