Prescribing patterns of migraine pharmacotherapy in children and adolescents: descriptive study using a large-scale claims database.

This study looked at how migraine medications are prescribed to children and teenagers. Researchers used a large database to analyze claims from April 2012 to March 2025. They focused on patients aged 6 to 17 years with migraines. The goal was to find out if these patients were being overprescribed medications. They specifically examined acute medications, like NSAIDs and triptans. The study included over 27,000 young patients, with almost 6,500 aged 6-11 and over 20,500 aged 12-17. Researchers found that 4.86% of patients were overprescribed NSAIDs, while 1.55% were overprescribed triptans. They also tracked how prescriptions changed over time. This research highlights important trends in pediatric migraine treatment. Understanding these patterns can help doctors make better decisions for their young patients. Clinical relevance: This study highlights the need for careful monitoring of migraine medication prescriptions in children.