How to Quickly Assess Headache-Related Disability

You recently diagnosed migraine without aura in a patientwho complains of headaches of moderate intensity. Is amigraine-specific prescription agent warranted?A validated tool, such as the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire, can be used toquantify a patient's level of disability-and thus can helpyou determine which treatment is most appropriate. Thequestionnaire can also:

• Improve communication about headache-related disabilitybetween you and your patient.
• Establish a baseline measure to monitor the effectivenessof treatment.¹

The first section of the MIDAS questionnaire (questions1 to 5) measures the amount of days over a period of 3 months that a patient experiences disability in his or her daily activities. The total number of days is the patient's score, which, when translated to a grade (I to IV), indicates the level of need for care and aggressive treatment. The second section (questions A and B) providesinformation that is useful in determining headache frequencyand attack severity.

References:

REFERENCE:

1.

Stewart WF. The role of disability assessment in migraine management. Drug Benefit Trends. 2002;14(suppl C):13-17.