IMPACT OF SUMATRIPTAN ON WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY, NONWORK ACTIVITIES, AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY-OF-LIFE AMONG HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES WITH MIGRAINE

This prospective, open-label study evaluated the effects of subcutaneo us sumatriptan versus usual therapy on workplace productivity, activit y time outside of work, and health related quality of life in 43 men o r women who were hospital employees diagnosed with migraine according to International Headache Society criteria. Patients treated migraines with their usual therapy for 12 to 18 weeks followed by subcutaneous sumatriptan for 6 months. Health-related quality of life measurements obtained at baseline, after usual therapy, and after sumatriptan thera py included the Short Form-36 Health Survey(C) and the Migraine-Specif ic Quality of Life Questionnaire(C). Patient daily diaries were used t o capture data on migraine symptoms and on Lost Workplace Productivity and Nonworkplace Activity Time. Traditional clinical efficacy measure s were obtained to support the pharmacoeconomic data. Clinical data sh owed that the percentage of treated migraine days per patient on which the patient experienced relief (moderate or severs pain reduced to mi ld or none) was 75% with sumatriptan and 25% with usual therapy. The m ean time to meaningful relief was 1.1 hours during the sumatriptan pha se and 4.2 hours during the usual therapy phase. Lost Workplace Produc tivity and Nonworkplace Activity Time was 35% lower with sumatriptan t herapy (1.5 hours) compared with usual therapy (2.3 hours). Time misse d from work due to symptoms, time worked with symptoms, and time norma l activities were carried on with symptoms were each lower during suma triptan therapy compared with usual therapy. Scores on each of the thr ee Migraine-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire dimensions and on t he Role-Emotional dimension of the Short Form-36 were significantly mo re favorable after sumatriptan than after usual therapy (P<0.05). Thes e data demonstrate that treatment of migraines with sumatriptan for 6 months following usual therapy for 12 to 18 weeks was associated with improvement in clinical efficacy, reduction in lost workplace producti vity and nonworkplace activity time, and enhancement of key dimensions of health-related quality of life among employees of a large universi ty hospital.