Evaluating patient satisfaction with specific migraine therapy based on initial treatment expectations: the PAX study.
OBJECTIVE
The PAX study was a naturalistic, prospective survey evaluating treatment expectations and satisfaction in a typical French migraine population.


METHODS
A total of 1710 patients were recruited by 489 general practitioners across France. Despite a high drop-out rate (due to one or more deviations from protocol and/or missing data), the analysable per-protocol population (PPP) patients (n = 615) remained representative with regard to the overall migraine population. Patients ranked expectations according to four criteria at baseline, and were asked to report satisfaction for each criterion at baseline and for six consecutive attacks. The highest-ranked treatment expectation was rapid relief of headache, followed by pain-free response, relief of associated symptoms, and ability to carry on present activity, respectively.


RESULTS
At inclusion, >50% of patients were using non-specific medications (analgesics, NSAIDs), and 30% reported global satisfaction with treatment. At the end of the survey, >75% of patients were using specific medications (predominantly triptans), and global treatment satisfaction increased to 83%, independent of treatment expectation rankings at baseline.


CONCLUSIONS
These survey results suggest that satisfaction with acute migraine treatment increases when specific medications are prescribed, irrespective of which treatment expectation is considered most important at baseline. This emphasizes the need for improvements in the management of migraine, to ensure that optimal treatment is being provided with regard to pharmacological intervention.
Lantéri-Minet
M
M
Département d'Evaluation et Traitement de la Douleur, Pôle Neurosciences Cliniques, Hôpital Pasteur, 30 avenue de la Voie Romaine, 06002 Nice cedex, France. lanteri-minet.m@chu-nice.fr
Allain
H
H
Druais
P-L
PL
Meric
G
G
Troy
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010465:Perception; D010821:Physicians, Family; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
D000700:Analgesics; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal