PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Yasir M. Malik AU - Salama M. Karmastaji AU - Khulood K. AlJarman AU - Yasmin A. Abdelmajid AU - Muna H. Lootah AU - Javeed A Dar AU - Abubaker A. Almadani TI - Paradigm shift in migraine management impacted by COVID-19 pandemic and the role of confounding factors inflicting the change AID - 10.17712/nsj.2022.3.20210058 DP - 2022 Jul 01 TA - Neurosciences Journal PG - 156--163 VI - 27 IP - 3 4099 - http://nsj.org.sa/content/27/3/156.short 4100 - http://nsj.org.sa/content/27/3/156.full SO - Neurosciences (Riyadh)2022 Jul 01; 27 AB - Objectives: To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migraineur’s quality of life and confounding factors.Methods: This is an observational cohort study conducted in Rashid hospital, Dubai Health Authority, UAE. Study was plotted to assess migraine indices in pre-COVID period, pre-pandemic and pandemic periods and to evaluate the pandemic induced paradigm shift in migraine management.Results: Out of 840 migraineurs 201 patients were selected, with an obvious female predominance (78%). Migraine without Aura was found in 70% and Migraine with Aura in 29.9%. Mean MIDAS score during period I, II and II was 22.78, 18.58 and 17.92 respectively indicating certain degree of improvement rather than deterioration during pandemic (p=0.001). Interestingly significant reduction in both migraine frequency and severity from pre-COVID to COVID period was noticed (p=0.01). Parameters like headache days/month, use of abortive therapy and Emergency visits also declined. Chronic migraine (CM) showed more improvement than episodic migraine (EM). Confounding factors like distance working and lack of social/professional stress mainly rendered this change. A modified strategy to handle headache during any pandemic/crisis can ensure quality management of migraine.Conclusion: Migraine patients had a resilient behavior during the COVID pandemic and showed significant improvement of all indices. Confounding factors like distance working played the most favorable role.