Employers Who Recognize The Impact Of Migraine May Help To Improve Workplace Productivity

When a migraine strikes, it can cause a
decline in work productivity, make it difficult to concentrate and lead to
missed workdays. Migraines take a toll on employers as well -- up to $28.7
billion in annual direct and indirect healthcare costs can be attributed to
migraine-related losses in productivity. Data presented today at the 59th
Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) in Boston, Mass.,
reinforced the benefit for employers to acknowledge and assess the impact
of migraine to potentially improve workplace productivity. The data also
suggested workers consider potential treatment options that may help them
prevent or reduce the frequency of migraine attacks.


The first of three analyses sponsored by Ortho-McNeil Neurologics, Inc.
found that employers who actively screen for migraine may help identify
those undiagnosed with the condition. The researchers also evaluated the
total burden of migraine in the workplace and found that more than 50
percent of the migraine sufferers surveyed experienced moderate to severe
disability due to the condition, often affecting job performance and
leading to missed workdays. The third analysis examined the impact of
preventive treatment on workers who suffer from frequent migraines and
suggested that use of TOPAMAX(R) (topiramate) may lead to fewer missed
workdays and improve workplace productivity.



"Migraine can have a significant impact in the workplace," said study
investigator Jennifer Lofland, PharmD, MPH, Ph.D., project director,
Department of Health Policy, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson
University.



"If migraine can be effectively managed during the workday, it may lead
to cost savings for employers over the long run. One approach patients may
want to consider is taking a preventive medication to help reduce the
frequency of migraine attacks and potentially lead to more migraine-free
days."



Screening for Migraine in the Workplace



Researchers determined that the use of a brief, online screener may
help to detect those undiagnosed for migraine in an employer setting and is
easy to administer. Researchers from the Center for Health Economics and
Policy, United BioSource Corporation, developed an online tool based on a
validated screener (Lainez et al.) to help determine the prevalence of
migraine in the workplace.



Three large employers in the U.S. were recruited to participate in the
online study that compared the screening results with patient-reported
migraine diagnoses. The results revealed that more than 90 percent of
employees who reported a previous migraine diagnosis screened positive for
the condition. In addition, nearly 30 percent of respondents who met the
screener criteria for migraine were undiagnosed.



Burden of Migraine in Employer Settings
















In the same study, researchers aimed to assess the total burden of
migraine in the workplace including impact on productivity. The researchers
compared employee responses to the online screener with results from a
baseline survey investigating migraine frequency and severity, treatment
patterns and total impact of migraine at work during a three-month period.



Study results revealed that more than 50 percent of people with
migraines experienced moderate to severe disability in the previous three
months due to the condition. On average, one workday was missed per
employee due to migraine, while the average days worked while having a
migraine was 8.9 days. Direct medical costs were $200,410 per 1,000
migraine sufferers and indirect costs, including absenteeism (hours absent
from work) and presenteeism (hours worked with migraine with reduced
efficiency), were $404,660 per 1,000 migraine sufferers. From a treatment
perspective, more than 70 percent of respondents reported having frequent
and/or disabling migraines and may be candidates for preventive treatment.
However, only 15 percent were taking a daily preventive migraine therapy.
Forty-eight percent reported taking a prescription medication for migraine
symptom relief, and 79 percent reported taking a non-prescription
medication.



TOPAMAX Improved Workplace Productivity - Pooled Results from Three
Trials



Results of this data analysis conducted by Philadelphia's Thomas
Jefferson University, suggested that 100 mg per day of TOPAMAX, approved by
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for migraine prevention in
adults, may help to improve workplace productivity. Researchers examined
pooled results from three different trials, including data recently
published in The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The
findings suggested productivity improved more than two-fold among workers
after beginning treatment with TOPAMAX (total lost productivity time was
13.5 hours per month prior to TOPAMAX therapy vs. 5.1 hours per month
following TOPAMAX therapy).



Migraine sufferers taken from three previous phase III clinical trials
were evaluated as part of the study. All were clinically diagnosed with
migraine and experienced at least three to 12 migraines per month. In this
analysis, the respondents completed a five-item survey each time they
experienced a migraine attack, which evaluated absenteeism and
presenteeism. The analysis was limited to respondents from the clinical
trials who were employed, and the researchers only captured lost work hours
observed during episodes of migraine.



About Migraine



Migraine is a chronic, debilitating condition that is under-diagnosed,
undertreated and misunderstood. Approximately 30 million Americans suffer
from migraines, and less than half are properly diagnosed with the
condition. Migraines most commonly occur between the ages 30 and 49, a time
when people are actively involved in the workforce. Recently, the American
Migraine Prevalence and Prevention (AMPP) Study showed that almost 98
percent of people with frequent migraines take medications, but a large
majority reported their lives are still negatively impacted by the pain and
disability associated with migraine. In addition, approximately 40 percent
of frequent migraine sufferers could benefit from preventive therapy, yet
only 13 percent typically are on a migraine preventive medication.



TOPAMAX is approved for migraine prevention in adults only. TOPAMAX is
not for the acute treatment of migraines.



IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION



Serious risks associated with TOPAMAX include lowered bicarbonate
levels in the blood resulting in an increase in the acidity of the blood
(metabolic acidosis), and hyperventilation (rapid, deep breathing) or
fatigue. More severe symptoms of metabolic acidosis could include irregular
heartbeat or changes in the level of alertness. Chronic, untreated
metabolic acidosis may increase the risk for kidney stones or bone disease.
Your doctor may want to do simple blood tests to measure bicarbonate
levels.



Other serious risks include increased eye pressure (glaucoma),
decreased sweating, increased body temperature, kidney stones, sleepiness,
dizziness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Tell your doctor
immediately if you have blurred vision or eye pain. More common side
effects are tingling in arms and legs, loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea,
taste change and weight loss. Tell your doctor about other medications you
take.



Please see full U.S. prescribing information available at
topamax.



About Ortho-McNeil Neurologics, Inc.



Headquartered in Titusville, N.J., Ortho-McNeil Neurologics, Inc.,
focuses exclusively on providing solutions that improve neurological
health. The company currently markets products for Alzheimer's disease,
epilepsy, and acute and preventive migraine treatment. Ortho-McNeil
Neurologics, Inc., in conjunction with internal and external research
partners, continues to explore new opportunities to develop solutions for
unmet healthcare needs in neurology.



About Jefferson Medical College



The Department of Health Policy at Jefferson Medical College is
committed to conducting research and education programs that will
contribute to the quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness of health care.
The Department's activities are meant to inform decisions made by
government policy makers, providers, payers, and other health system
stakeholders about how best to deliver and finance care in order to improve
the health of the public.tju/main


View drug information on Topamax.