Effectiveness of sumatriptan in reducing productivity loss due to migraine: Results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

Objective: To determine the effect of sumatriptan on migraine-related workp lace productivity loss. Patients and Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial, adult migraineurs self-injected 6 mg of sumatriptan or matching placebo to treat a moderate or severe migraine within the first 4 hours of a minimum of an 8-hour work shift, Outcome measures included pr oductivity loss and number of patients returning to normal work performance 2 hours after injection and across the work shift, time to return to norma l work performance, and time to headache relief, Results: A total of 206 patients underwent screening, 140 (safety populatio n) of whom returned for clinic treatment. Of these 140 patients, 119 receiv ed migraine treatment in the workplace (intent-to-treat population), 116 of whom comprised the study population, Of these 116 patients, 76 self-admini stered sumatriptan, and 40 self-administered placebo. Sumatriptan treatment tended to reduce median productivity loss 2 hours after injection compared with placebo (25.2 vs 29.9 minutes, respectively; P=.14), Significant redu ctions in productivity loss were obtained across the work shift after sumat riptan treatment compared with placebo (36.8 vs 72.6 minutes, respectively; P=.001), Significantly more sumatriptan-treated patients vs placebo-treate d patients experienced shorter return to normal work performance at 2 hours (53/76 [70%] vs 12/40 [30%], respectively) and across the work shift (63/7 6 [84%] vs 23/40 [58%], respectively; P<.001), Significantly more sumatript an-treated patients experienced headache relief 1 hour after injection comp ared with placebo-treated patients (48/76 [63%] VS 13/40 [33%], respectivel y; P=.004), Conclusion: Across an 8-hour work shift, sumatriptan was superior to placeb o in reducing productivity loss due to migraine.