This study was run to understand variations in treatment with resulting shifts in care management that aligns with patient preferences and migraine-specific care and observe if a relationship exists between racially diverse patients seeking care and healthcare provider (HCP) specialties, including alternative medicine providers.
Diane Faraone, PharmD, Karina D’Angelo PhD., Andreas Lysandropoulos, MD, PhD.
Background
Headache disorders including migraine are highly prevalent and costly. Studies show that patients who do not receive appropriate migraine treatment access the health system to a greater extent and are at higher risk of developing comorbid conditions. Both treatment and racial drivers may impact which therapies are preferred. A patient-centered approach to symptoms and disease can shift care management from acute to a more specialized treatment pathway that better aligns with migraine population preferences.
Objective:
- Understand variations in treatment with resulting shifts in care management that aligns with patient preferences and migraine-specific care.
- Observe if a relationship exists between racially diverse patients seeking care and healthcare provider (HCP) specialties, including alternative medicine providers.
Methods
US representative claims data was analyzed with PurpleLab’s® HealthNexus® data analytics platform in patients 18-84 years of age between 2018 and 2024 in the following migraine cohorts:
- Diagnosis (Dx), Diagnosis & Drug (Dx+Rx), Diagnosis & Acupuncture (Dx+AP), and Diagnosis & Other Procedures (Dx+Px).
Migraine and migraine subtypes were defined using ICD9CM, ICD10CM and Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-DRGs). Drugs were defined using National Drug Code (NDCs) and HCPCS coding which included selective serotonin (5HT) agonists (triptans), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists (monoclonal antibody and gpants), botulinum toxins, ergot derivatives, butalbital combinations, and homeopathic migraine preparations. Other treatments included chemodenervation and local anesthetics. HCP specialty was identified using National Provider Identifier (NPI) taxonomy and patient volume in each treatment cohort.