Video consultations in medication overuse headache. A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

<i>Objective</i>

- To test the hypothesis that the effect of video consultations is noninferior to traditional consultations in managing patients with overuse headache (MOH).<p>

<p><i>Materials and Methods</i>

- Patients were recruited from referrals to a neurological clinic. In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), headache burden measured by headache impact test (HIT‐6) and frequency of headache days <15 per month and visual analogue pain scale (VAS) at baseline, 3 months and 1 year were compared between groups consulted by video‐ (<i>n</i> = 51) and traditional consultations (<i>n</i> = 51) in a post hoc analysis.<p>

<p><i>Results</i>

- The overall response rate was 74.5%. HIT‐6 changed from 66.3 (<i>SD</i> = 4.7) to 60.0 (<i>SD</i> = 9.1) from baseline to 12 months in participants randomized to video consultations and from 65.8 (<i>SD</i> = 3.7) to 58.4 (<i>SD</i> = 8.3) in the group consulted traditionally (95% CI −2.3 to 6.5, <i>p</i> = 0.44). Frequency of headache days <15 per month at 1‐year follow‐up were 9 (23.1%) respectively 10 (27.0%), <i>p</i> = 0.60. In the video group, VAS improved by 2.3 points compared to 2.4 in the traditional group from baseline to 12 months (95% CI −1.2 to 1.2, <i>p</i> = 0.76). Analyses of repeated measurements comparing HIT‐6 and VAS over two points of time in the two groups were insignificant.<p>

<p><i>Conclusion</i>

- The effect of video consultations is noninferior to traditional consultations in managing MOH patients. Using video may be a good alternative in consulting patients with MOH.