Ubrogepant, a drug taken at the onset of migraine symptoms, has shown promising results in a study, enabling individuals to proceed with their daily activities with minimal discomfort.
The research, involving 518 participants, demonstrates that early treatment can significantly reduce the disability associated with migraines, offering a potential improvement in quality of life for sufferers.
When taken at the first signs of a migraine, before headache pain begins, a drug called ubrogepant may be effective in helping people with migraine go about their daily lives with little or no symptoms, according to a new study published in the August 28, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study focused on people with migraine who could tell when an attack was about to happen, due to early symptoms such as sensitivity to light and sound, fatigue, neck pain or stiffness, or dizziness.
Ubrogepant is a calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist, or CGRP inhibitor. CGRP is a protein that plays a key role in the migraine process.
Study Findings on Migraine Management
“Migraine is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide, yet so many people who suffer from this condition do not receive treatment or report that they are not satisfied with their treatment,” said study author Richard B. Lipton, MD, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, New York, and Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. “Improving care at the first signs of migraine, even before headache pain begins, can be a key to improved outcomes. Our findings are encouraging, suggesting that ubrogepant may help people with migraine function normally and go about their day.”
The study involved 518 participants who had migraine for at least one year and two to eight migraine attacks per month in the three months before the study. All of the participants regularly experienced signs that a migraine would be starting within the next few hours. Participants were asked to treat two attacks during a two-month period.
Study Design and Participant Response
Researchers divided participants into two groups. The first group received a placebo for their first set of pre-headache symptoms of migraine, followed by taking 100 milligrams (mg) of ubrogepant for their second instance of symptoms. The second group took ubrogepant for the first instance and placebo for the second instance.
Participants evaluated limitations on their activity in their diary using a scale ranging from zero to five, with 0 meaning “not at all limited – I could do everything”; 1, “a little limited”; 2, “somewhat limited”; 3, “very limited”; or 4, “extremely limited.”
Twenty-four hours after taking the drug or a placebo, 65% of people who took ubrogepant reported themselves as “not at all limited – I could do everything,” or “a little limited,” compared to 48% of those who took the placebo.
Researchers found that as early as two hours post-medication, people who took the drug were 73% more likely to report that they had “no disability, able to function normally,” than those who took the placebo.
Impact and Limitations of the Study
“Based on our findings, treatment with ubrogepant may allow people with migraine who experience early warning signs before a migraine occurs to quickly treat migraine attacks in their earliest stages and go about their daily lives with little discomfort and disruption,” said Lipton. “This could lead to an improved quality of life for those living with migraine.”
Lipton noted that participants showed that based on their headache warning symptoms, they could reliably predict impending migraine headaches. These findings apply only to those with reliable warning symptoms.
A limitation of the study was that participants recorded their symptoms and medication use in electronic diaries, so it is possible some people may not have recorded all information accurately.
Reference: “Effect of Ubrogepant on Patient-Reported Outcomes When Administered During the Migraine ProdromeResults From the Randomized PRODROME Trial” by Richard B. Lipton, Andrea M. Harriott, Julia Y. Ma, Jonathan H. Smith, Jonathan Stokes, Pranav Gandhi, Krutika Jariwala-Parikh, Gabriel S. Jensen, Joel M. Trugman and David W. Dodick, 28 August 2024, Neurology.
DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000209745
The study was funded by AbbVie, the maker of ubrogepant.
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3 Comments
I am a medical anthropologist researcher and author and have worked on the cause of migraines. This study is sales propaganda. “The study was funded by AbbVie, the maker of ubrogepant.” Say no more! Biased study.
It’s interesting that the placebo resulted in 48% of the people having no problem. “Twenty-four hours after taking the drug or a placebo, 65% of people who took ubrogepant reported themselves as “not at all limited – I could do everything,” or “a little limited,” compared to 48% of those who took the placebo.” That’s one powerful placebo effect! Sounds like some psychosomatic causes of migraines here.
Migraines are actually a defense mechanism to get fresh blood into the brain. Migraines occur in the morning, after a night of sleeping too flat, which deprives the brain of oxygen and sugar from poor circulation. This causes the brain to get congested and pressurized, and waste products of metabolism accumulate, as the circulation is limited due to being too flat. This results in several brain problems, including migraines, sleep apnea, stroke, glaucoma, dementia, ADHD, and more. Some gravity is needed to help drain fluid from the head and brain, as NASA scientists have discovered. When astronauts experience zero gravity in space, their heads get pressurized as their brain circulation reduces. And they get migraines, along with other problems. This zero gravity effect is studies here on Earth by having people lie flat.
By elevating the head of the bed 10-30 degrees with a wedge or by using block beneath the bed frame, you provide a gravity gradient that allows much better brain circulation. We had 100 chronic migraine sufferers sleep this way, and their migraines stopped happening after one night! A migraine was not needed, since their brains had proper circulation. You can try for yourself to see how much this helps you, with or without having migraines. The brain is also not foggy in the morning, if it has proper circulation. And sinuses are not stuffy, which is also from being too flat.
See my article, Heads Up! The Way You Are Sleeping May Be Killing You!
https://www.academia.edu/1483361/Heads_Up_The_Way_You_Are_Sleeping_May_Be_Killing_You_
Very interesting. I have vestibular migraines and dizziness is the worst symptom I have and I have it daily. I am going to start sleeping with my head elevated. My 11 year old son also has headaches and nausea–probably migraines and I’m going to try this with him too. Thank you for sharing!
Never heard of this before. I do sleep flat without a pillow so will try using pillows. 🙏