Opioid use, disability, and patient-reported cognitive impairment in migraine: Multi-country results from the Chronic Migraine Epidemiology and Outcomes-International Study.

Opioids are often used by some patients to treat migraine, but they are not recommended. This study looked at people using opioids for migraines in six countries. Researchers wanted to understand the differences between opioid users and non-users. They used surveys to gather information from participants about their migraines. Disability levels were measured using the MIDAS tool. Cognitive impairment was assessed with the Migraine Cognitive Impairment Questionnaire. The results showed that opioid users had higher disability and reported more cognitive issues. The study suggests that using opioids for migraine treatment may lead to worse outcomes. It highlights the need for better treatment options. Patients should consider non-opioid alternatives for managing migraines. Understanding these factors is important for improving migraine care and patient quality of life. More research is needed to explore safer treatment methods for migraine patients. Clinical relevance: This study indicates that using opioids for migraines may worsen disability and cognitive function, emphasizing the need for alternative treatments.