People affected by chronic migraine and medication overuse headache at the baseline showed a significant deterioration of their headaches following discontinuation of erenumab.

This real-world-evidence study was carried out to investigate the evolution of people affected by chronic migraine and medication overuse headache at the baseline following erenumab (monoclonal antibody) discontinuation.

A total of 185 people suffering from medication overuse headache and chronic migraine were enrolled and followed up following erenumab discontinuation. Every thirty days for three months after erenumab suspension, collection of following data was done: (a) Number of painkillers taken per month, (b) Number of migraine days per month, and (c) Number of days in which 1 medication was utilized for a month.

At the 3rd month following suspension, people showed a considerably higher number of migraine days per month, a considerably greater painkiller intake, and a substantially greater migraine-linked disability. The presence of aura and an elevated body mass index were positively associated with relapse of medication overuse headache and chronic migraine.

Hence, discontinuation of erenumab (calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist) is associated with headache aggravation.