Smartphone App Reduces Migraine-Related Disability in Patients

Strategic Insights -

A new study published in the JAMA Network Open has shown that a smartphone app for muscle relaxation significantly reduces migraine-related disability in patients visiting the emergency department. Led by researchers from NYU Langone Health, the study featured a smartphone-based app that guides patients with migraine through progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), an evidence-based treatment for migraine in which patients tense and then relax one muscle group at a time. The study used the Migraine Disability Assessment Score (MIDAS), a questionnaire that asks about the number of days over three months that migraine caused a person to miss work, school, or social events. The findings highlight the potential of smartphone-based interventions to empower patients in managing their own migraine, and in reducing migraine-related disability without medication.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study involved 69 participants aged 18 to 65 who visited NYU Langone Health's emergency departments for migraine between 2019 and 2021.
  • The smartphone app, RELAXaHEAD, guided patients with migraine through progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), an evidence-based treatment for migraine.
  • The percentage of patients who had at least a five-point improvement in the Migraine Disability Assessment Score (MIDAS) nearly doubled for those who used the app versus those who did not.
  • The number of patients with at least a five-point improvement in MIDAS score was 45.7% among those without PMR and 82.4% with PMR.
  • Those who used PMR more frequently experienced better outcomes, suggesting a dose-response relationship.
  • The study did not find significant differences in the number of monthly headache days, but the PMR group's improvement in disability is meaningful.
  • The research team is conducting a large-scale clinical study to evaluate the study app for people with migraine in primary care settings.
  • Dr. Minen has financial interests in the app and its underlying intellectual property, which has been licensed to CareTurner.

Statistics:

  • 14% of people globally are affected by migraine.
  • 46% of patients discharged from the ED with a migraine diagnosis revisit the ED within 3 months.
  • 45.7% of patients without progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) had at least a five-point improvement in the Migraine Disability Assessment Score (MIDAS).
  • 82.4% of patients with PMR had at least a five-point improvement in MIDAS.

Sources:

  • NYU Langone Health System
  • JAMA Network Open
  • National Institutes of Health
  • CareTurner
  • Vizient, Inc.
  • U.S. News & World Report