Sumatriptan responsiveness and clinical, psychiatric and psychologic features in migraine patients

Objective: To compare sumatriptan responders and nonresponders in a migrain e population with regard to a number of clinical, psychiatric and psycholog ic features. Methods: Patients were drawn from a referral headache clinic p opulation, and classified as responders or nonresponders. Clinical features were assessed by a written questionnaire. The lifetime prevalence of sever al psychiatric disorders was determined by the National Institute of Mental Health diagnostic inter-view schedule and personality factors were measure d by the 16 Personality Factors (16PF) Questionnaire. Results: Nonresponder s indicated less influence on their migraine by menstrual factors, had a hi gher lifetime prevalence of generalized anxiety, and showed 16PF scores ind icating greater shyness, self-sufficiency and perfectionism. Nonresponders were also more imaginative and less Socially outgoing. Conclusion: Although they must be interpreted with caution due to small sample size and the mul tiple comparisons made, our results indicate that there may be differences between sumatriptan responders and nonresponders with regard to a number of clinical, psychiatric and psychologic factors. These results suggest that biological differences exist between the two patient groups which likely ac count for both the differences in their responses to sumatriptan and in the clinical features noted above.