Estimating Quality of life in a Headache Referral Population Based on MIDAS and HIT-6

Introduction: Headache is among the most common disabling neurologic disorders. We measured quality of life in Chronic Migraine (CM) and Episodic Migraine (EM), stratified by Medication Overuse Headaches (MOH) and presence of aura.Methods: In this prospective observational study, adult patients referred to a tertiary headache clinic in Tehran who met ICHD-3β for migraine were classified to EM and CM subtypd based on presence of aura and MOH. Validated Farsi versions of Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS and Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) questionnaires were used.Results: A total of 2454 patients (1907 females) were enrolled. 1261 (51.4%) patients had EM and 1193 (48.6%) had CM. While 908 subjects (37%) had MOH, of whom 890 (98%) had CM. Median scores of MIDAS and HIT-6 were significantly higher in CM compared to EM suffers. Chronic migraineurs with MOH had a significantly higher median score of MIDAS and HIT-6 compared to non-MOH CM patients. Also, there was a moderate positive correlation between MIDAS (disability) and HIT-6 scores (impact on patients life) and a moderate correlation between HIT-6 and pain severity.Conclusion: The results of this study confirm that CM and MOH are associated with a higher headache-related disability and impact on life than is EM. Therefore treatment goals in prevention of MOH and migraine transformation warrant higher quality of life in migraine patients.