Feasibility and effect of mindfulness approach by web for chronic migraine and high-frequency episodic migraine without aura at in adolescents during and after COVID emergency: preliminary findings

Abstract

Background: Migraine disorders are common among adolescents: however, the efficacy of medical prophylaxis is limited in this population. This study reports preliminary findings on the feasibility and effect of a mindfulness-based intervention delivered via web for adolescents with chronic migraine (CM) and high-frequency episodic migraine (HFEM) without aura.

Methods: Patients with CM or HFEM received six session of a mindfulness-based treatment and were followed-up for 6 months as part of a larger study. Repeated measure analyses were carried out to test the effect of this behavioral intervention.

Results: A total of 12 patients were included in this analysis. A significant improvement was observed up to 6 months for headache frequency, symptoms of depression, and catastrophizing, and up to 3 months for patients' disability. No change was detected for patients' anxiety level.

Conclusions: The results of our study provides initial support to the hypothesis that patients' education and mindfulness-based programs can be very useful in populations of adolescents with CM or HFEM.

Keywords: Catastrophizing; Chronic migraine; Depression; High-frequency episodic migraine; Mindfulness.