Marta Waliszewska-Prosół (Wroclaw/ PL), Marcin Straburzyński (Olsztyn/ PL), Sławomir Budrewicz (Wroclaw/ PL), Ewa Katarzyna Czapińska-Ciepiela (Kraków/ PL), Magdalena Nowaczewska (Bydgoszcz/ PL), Anna Gryglas-Dworak (Wrocław/ PL), Richard B. Lipton (New York/ US)
Abstract text (incl. figure legends and references)
Question: Defining migraine patterns of care in Poland.
Methods: The Migraine in Poland study is a nation-wide cross-sectional online survey conducted from August 2021 to June 2022. Participants were recruited through various channels, targeting mostly persons suffering from headaches. Survey protocol included questions allowing for diagnosis of migraine without aura (MwoA). Moreover, the questionnaire assessed consultation rates with a medical professional, as well as the use of abortive or preventive treatment, including non-pharmacological methods.
Results: 3225 respondents aged 13 to 80 (mean age 38.94) submitted their answers via online questionnaire (87.10% were women). MwoA diagnosis was confirmed in 1679 (52.73%) of subjects, and 1571 (93.57%) of them consulted their headache with a medical professional in the past.
1553 (92.50%) of MwoA participants declared the current use of some form of treatment. Combination analgesics (especially containing codeine) were the most frequently used (n=991, 59.02%) abortive medications. These were followed by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen (n=1318, 78.50%). Triptans/ergots were used by 959 (57.12%) respondents. 383 (22.81%) resorted to abortive treatment with frequency indicating medication-overuse.
Prophylactic treatment was at some point used by 599 (35.68%), while 193 (11.49%) were currently on preventive medications. The most frequently prescribed migraine prophylaxis was iprazochrome 151 (8.99%), followed by flunarizine 136 (8.10%) and topiramate 99 (5.90%). 23.28% used nutraceuticals for prevention (most frequently magnesium).
Conclusions: The consultation rate for migraine patients in Poland was relatively high, and most of the subjects received the correct diagnosis. However, there is a need for improving standards of care, especially in regard to choice of prophylaxis. There is also a need to raise public awareness of the dangers of codeine-based medications (available OTC in Poland).