Effect of biological therapy on symptom burden and functional disability in patients with migraine : a before-and-after analysis

Kalač, Albina (author), Fabjan, Andrej (author), Žibert, Janez (author), Kamenšek, Tina (author)

Introduction This study aims to assess the effectiveness of biological therapies in reducing migraine-related symptom burden and functional disability, including reductions in monthly migraine days, pain intensity, and analgesic consumption, among patients with migraine in Slovenia. Methods This retrospective study analysed 92 adult patients with migraine receiving prophylactic biological treatment at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana. Average number of monthly migraine days (MMD), average analgesic consumption, pain intensity (VAS), and functional disability score (MIDAS) were collected before treatment and after 3 and 12 months. Statistical analysis involved the Friedman test to assess changes over time, followed by Wilcoxon tests with Bonferroni correction for post hoc comparisons. Results 83 patients completed 12 months of treatment. Significant reductions (p < 0.001) were observed in MMD (median 10 vs. 2 days), analgesic consumption, VAS scores (median 8 vs. 4), and MIDAS scores after 3 months (median 19 vs. 2), sustained at 12 months. Treatment discontinuation occurred in 9 patients due to inefficacy or side effects. Most patients tolerated biologics well, with mild adverse effects reported. Conclusions Biological therapies significantly reduced migraine-related symptom burden and functional disability, including decreases in migraine frequency, pain intensity, and analgesic use, in a Slovenian migraine cohort. These findings support the use of biologics as effective and safe options for migraine prevention in real-world clinical practice.

• Language: English
• Keywords: monoclonal antibodies, neurology, disability evaluation, preventive treatment
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2026
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: Str. 34-40
• Numbering: Vol. 65, no. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-180305
• UDC: 616.857
• ISSN on article: 0351-0026
• DOI: 10.2478/sjph-2026-0005
• COBISS.SI-ID: 270641411
• Publication date in RUL: 05.03.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Slovenian journal of public health
• Publisher: National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia
• ISSN: 0351-0026
• COBISS.SI-ID: 3287810

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
• Description: A creative commons license that bans commercial use, but the users don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Vpliv biološkega zdravljenja na simptomsko obremenitev in funkcionalno prizadetost pri bolnikih z migreno : pre–post analiza

Abstract

Uvod Namen raziskave je bil oceniti učinkovitost biološkega zdravljenja pri zmanjševanju simptomske obremenitve in funkcionalne prizadetosti pri bolnikih z migreno v Sloveniji, vključno z zmanjšanjem mesečnega števila migrenskih dni, intenzivnosti bolečine in porabe analgetikov. Metode V retrospektivni študiji smo analizirali 92 odraslih bolnikov z diagnozo migrene, zdravljenih z biološkimi zdravili v Univerzitetnem kliničnem centru Ljubljana. Zbrali smo podatke o povprečnem številu migrenskih dni na mesec (MMD), povprečni porabi analgetikov, intenzivnosti bolečine (VAS) in funkcionalni onesposobljenosti (MIDAS) na treh časovnih točkah: pred začetkom zdravljenja, po 3 in 12 mesecih zdravljenja. Statistična analiza je vključevala Friedmanov test za oceno sprememb skozi čas, sledili pa so Wilcoxonovi testi z Bonferronijevo korekcijo za post hoc primerjave. Rezultati Skupno je 83 bolnikov zaključilo 12-mesečno zdravljenje. Po treh mesecih smo zaznali statistično značilno zmanjšanje MMD (mediana z 10 na 2 dni), porabe analgetikov, bolečine po VAS lestvici (mediana z 8 na 4) ter funkcionalne onesposobljenosti po MIDAS lestvici (mediana z 19 na 2), ki so se ohranile tudi po 12 mesecih (p < 0,001). Zdravljenje je v prvem letu prekinilo 9 bolnikov, bodisi zaradi neučinkovitosti ali neželenih stranskih učinkov. Večina bolnikov je biološka zdravila dobro prenašala, pri čemer so bili poročani neželeni učinki večinoma blagi. Zaključki Biološka terapija slovenski kohorti bolnikov z migreno pomembno zmanjšuje simptomsko obremenitev in funkcionalno prizadetost, vključno z zmanjšanjem pogostosti napadov, intenzivnosti bolečine in uporabe analgetikov. Ti rezultati podpirajo uporabo bioloških zdravil kot učinkovitih in varnih možnosti za preprečevanje migrene v klinični praksi.

• Keywords: monoklonska protitelesa, nevrologija, ocenjevanje invalidnosti, preventivno zdravljenje