New Research Uncovers Unique Migraine Subgroups Offering a New Look at Individualized Treatment

New Research from the American Headache Society’s 60th Annual Scientific Meeting Uncovers Unique Migraine Subgroups Offering a New Look at Individualized Treatment

Study Honored with Prestigious Harold G. Wolff Lecture AwardDesignated for the Best Paper on Headache, Head or Face Pain or the Nature of Pain Itself

[SAN FRANCISCO, CA, JUNE 27, 2018] – A clinical study presented this week at the 60th Annual Scientific Meeting of The American Headache Society (AHS) clearly identified distinct respiratory, psychiatric, cardiovascular and pain-related comorbidities among people living with migraine. The identification of these migraine subgroups may facilitate biological and genetic characterizations of the condition and point toward individualized treatment approaches.

“Migraine is not the same for every person. It’s critical that we look at the individual patient when considering treatment and outside conditions that may play a role in his or her onset of migraine,” said Peter Goadsby, MD, PhD, FAHS, AHS Scientific Program Committee Chair, Professor of , King’s College London, University of California, San Francisco, and director, NIHR-Wellcome Trust King’s Clinical Research Facility, King’s College Hospital, London. “Understanding the impact of comorbidities furthers our ability to tailor a treatment management plan that may minimize disease progression effectively.”

A study titled “Identifying Natural Subgroups of Migraine Based on Profiles of Comorbidities and Concomitant Conditions: Results of the Chronic Migraine Epidemiology and Outcomes (CaMEO) Study” looked at the way in which migraine subgroups may inform a personalized treatment approach. Respondents to the landmark CaMEO Study, a web-based survey study designed to characterize the course of migraine and related comorbidities in the United States, led researchers to name eight migraine subgroups. These subgroups were classified as: “many comorbidities,” “respiratory and psychiatric,” “respiratory and pain,” “respiratory,” “psychiatric,” “cardiovascular,” “pain” and “few comorbidities.” Each of these subgroups showed differences in headache features and treatment patterns, signaling a call for subsequent research to assess prognostic differences based on comorbidity.

The research, led by Dr. Richard B. Lipton, was awarded the prestigious Harold G. Wolff Lecture Award by the AHS in honor of the late Harold G. Wolff, a neurologist who is remembered for his meticulous experimentation which led to greater understanding of migraine. This award is given annually to the best paper on headache, head or face pain or the nature of pain itself.

About Migraine
Migraine is a disabling neurological disease that affects more than over 37 million men, women and children in the United States. The disease impacts one in four households, one in five women, one in 16 men and one in 11 children in the United States. The World Health Organization places migraine as one of the 10 most disabling medical illnesses on the planet. Individuals who experience migraine have symptoms that include nausea, sensitivity to light and/or odors, skin sensitivity, fatigue, mood change, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, neck pain and changes in vision, including seeing spots, stars, lines, flashing lights and zigzag lines. The risk of other serious diseases is significantly higher in those with migraine, including stroke, epilepsy, depression, anxiety and chronic pain. Despite this, only one of every three people talk with a doctor about their migraine attacks and of those, only half get the right diagnosis. There is also a shortage of specialists focusing on migraine, with only about one specialist for every 80,000 individuals living with migraine in the United States, which worsens the problem.

About the American Headache Society
The American Headache Society (AHS) is a professional society of health care providers dedicated to the study and treatment of headache and face pain. The Society’s objectives are to promote the exchange of information and ideas concerning the causes and treatments of headache and related painful disorders. Educating physicians, health professionals and the public and encouraging scientific research are the primary functions of this organization. AHS activities include an annual scientific meeting, a comprehensive headache symposium, regional symposia for neurologists and family practice physicians, and publication of the journal Headache. More information can be found at www.americanheadachesociety.org. In 2010 AHS founded the American Migraine Foundation (AMF) to provide access to information and resources for individuals living with migraine, as well as their loved ones. AMF is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of research and awareness surrounding migraine, with a mission to mobilize a community for patient support and advocacy, as well as drive and support impactful research that translates into treatment advances for patients with migraine and other disabling diseases that cause severe head pain. Patients can learn more, find help and get connected by visiting www.americanmigrainefoundation.org.

CONTACT: Alyssa Bleiberg, Alyssa.Bleiberg@SyneosHealth.com, +1 212 845 5628 and +1 973 432 7289