title: The impact of interferon beta and natalizumab on comorbid migraine in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some multiple sclerosis (MS)-specific therapies may exacerbate a comorbid migraine. Whereas data regarding the impact of interferon beta (IFNB) on this comorbidity have been reported, studies on the role of natalizumab (NTZ) are still lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to compare the impact of IFNB and NTZ on the frequency and disability of comorbid migraine in MS patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  performed a longitudinal evaluation on MS patients with comorbid migraine previously assessed at our center and retested for the present study, by comparing data from 33 patients originally treated with IFNB and thereafter switched to NTZ vs 30 patients continued currently to receive IFNB.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Longitudinal analysis showed a significant reduction of migraine frequency (from a mean value of 8.4 to 5.1 days per month; P = .034) and Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS) score (from a mean value of 14.2 to 10.5; P = .045) in the subgroup patients switched from IFNB to NTZ but not in those remaining in the IFNB recipient, irrespective of level of fatigue, trait anxiety, depression, alexithymia, or other clinical variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that NTZ did not exacerbate comorbid migraine in MS patients and support the hypothesis that IFNB might represent an important trigger for migraine worsening.
authors.affiliation: Neurological Headache Centre, S. Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University, Via di Grottarossa, Rome, Italy. veronicavillani@hotmail.it
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Villani
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Prosperini
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Giglio
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pozzilli
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salvetti
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sette
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015897:Comorbidity; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000069442:Natalizumab; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069442:Natalizumab; D016899:Interferon-beta