High Achievement Motivation is Not Related to Increased Use of Acute Headache Medication in Migraine: A Cross-sectional Observational Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if migraine patients with high achievement motivation have an increased use of acute headache medication.

BACKGROUND

It has been hypothesized that high achievement-motivated migraine patients have an increased use of acute headache medication to be able to perform at work and during daily life, putting them at risk for medication overuse headache (MOH).

METHODS

The Achievement Motivation Inventory and use of acute headache medication were assessed in 117 migraine patients (60 episodic, 57 chronic) at their first appointment at our tertiary headache center.

RESULTS

Patients with low vs high achievement motivation were not significantly different in acute headache medication days per month (10.8 ± 6.9 vs 10.9 ± 7.8, P = .98), in acute headache medication use in the absence of headache (to prevent occurrence of headache later that day: 51.8% vs 48.2%, P = .38), in having a diagnosis of MOH (37.9 vs 23.7%, P = .12), or in reduction of acute headache medication days at 3 and 6 months follow-up (both P > .20).

CONCLUSIONS

High achievement motivation in migraine patients was not associated with increased acute headache medication use or more frequent diagnosis of MOH.