The aim of this study was to investigate an association between severe photophobia linked to migraine and reduced work productivity. Cases were extracted from the American Registry for Migraine Research (ARMR) with the following criteria: diagnosed with migraine, data available on age and sex, headache frequency and intensity questionnaire at baseline and over 90 days, completion of the Migraine Disability Assessment questionnaire (MIDAS) and Photosensitivity Assessment Questionnaire (PAQ). The ARMR is a prospective longitudinal register recruiting from nine sites with specialty headache clinics. It holds a significant amount of patient data including regularly completed questionnaires related to symptoms, quality of life etc. A total of 1084 participants were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria. The population included a higher frequency of women (87%). The median MIDAS score indicated severe migraine disability. Just over half of the included sample were employed (54%), with just under half of these (47%) reporting they had missed work in the last week due to migraine. Using regression analysis controlling for age, sex, headache frequency, mean headache intensity, anxiety and general health score, significant associations were reported between photophobia with MIDAS scores, overall work impairment, activity impairment and presenteeism. The results of this study highlight severity of photophobia as an independent predictor of reduced work productivity and may be more disabling that previously reported. The authors acknowledge several limitations to the study including the PAQ having not specifically being designed for use with a migraine population and risk of lack of generalisability due to the specialist nature of the clinics used to recruit participants to the ARMR.
Photophobia associated with migraine: Investigating associations with productivity
Reviewed by Lauren Hepworth
Photophobia contributes to migraine-associated disability and reduced work productivity: Results from the American Registry for Migraine Research (ARMR).
CONTRIBUTOR
Lauren R Hepworth
University of Liverpool; Honorary Stroke Specialist Clinical Orthoptist, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust; St Helen’s and Knowsley NHS Foundation Trust, UK.
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