Takeaway
- Meta-analysis suggests that once-monthly subcutaneous erenumab is effective and well tolerated as prophylactic treatment in patients with episodic and chronic migraine.
Why this matters
- Monthly dose may increase patient convenience, improve treatment adherence and persistence of preventive treatment.
Study design
- Meta-analysis of 5 randomised controlled trials (2 phase 2 and 3 phase 3 trials) including 1181 patients with migraine who were randomly assigned to once-monthly subcutaneous erenumab or placebo.
- Efficacy outcomes: reduction in monthly migraine and monthly acute migraine-specific medication days at 12 weeks.
- Funding: None.
Key results
- At week 12, erenumab was associated with a significantly greater reduction in:
- monthly migraine days (70 mg: mean difference [MD], −1.3; P<.001; 140 mg: MD, −1.9; P<.001) and
- monthly acute migraine-specific medication days (70 mg: MD −1.0, P<.001; 140 mg: MD −1.8; P<.001).
- No difference was observed between erenumab and placebo group in:
- adverse event (AE) rate (51.7% vs 53.0%; risk ratio [RR], 0.95; P=.166),
- serious AE rate (1.8% vs 1.7%; RR, 0.96; P=.893),
- treatment-related discontinuation rate (1.6% vs 1.2%; RR, 1.12; P=.744).
Limitations
- Short duration of included trials.
References
References