Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown on Migraine Patients in Latin America

Abstract

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, confinement, fear, lifestyle changes, and worldwide health care impacted almost all diseases. Reports from countries outside Latin America revealed differences in migraine patients. In this study, we describe and compare the immediate changes in migraine symptoms associated with COVID-19 quarantine in patients from Argentina, Mexico, and Peru. An online survey was conducted from May to July 2020. The survey was answered by 243 migraine patients, with questions related to sociodemographic data, quarantine conditions, changes in working conditions, physical activity, coffee intake, healthcare access, acute migraine medication use, symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fear of COVID-19. The results show that 48.6% of migraine patients experienced worsened symptoms, 15.6% improved, and 35.8% remained unchanged. Worsening migraine symptoms were associated with staying at home during the lockdown. Intake of analgesics was associated with an increase in migraine symptoms of 18 times relative to those who did not increase their intake. Migraine symptoms improved when the number of sleep hours was increased, and we observed an improvement when patients decreased analgesic intake. The uncertainty about the end of the pandemic, the news, and social media are three items that contributed to the worsening of migraine symptoms in patients in the three investigated countries. Confinement during the first pandemic wave in Latin America harmed migraine patients who stayed home during the lockdown.

Societal and economic burden of migraine in Spain: results from the 2020 National Health and Wellness Survey

“…The difference was higher amongst younger people (increasing from 2.6% to 18.1% in those aged 18-29 years old and from 2.7% to 14.3% in the 30-49 group) [39]. Globally, there are mixed findings regarding the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown in the clinical course of migraine [40][41][42]. The impact varied per country and per patient, depending on factors such as lifestyle changes, infections, changes in depression and anxiety triggers, amongst others.…”

“…The impact varied per country and per patient, depending on factors such as lifestyle changes, infections, changes in depression and anxiety triggers, amongst others. Some studies report improved migraine symptoms due to the increased number of sleep hours, decreased analgesic intake, and reduction of stressor coming from working activity [41,42]. A retrospective survey study conducted in Spain, has noted an intensification of the typical pain in about half of the individuals suffering from migraines, with the deterioration in the clinical progression of migraine being associated with alterations in their usual triggers and the psychological effects of the lockdown [40].…”

Executive Functions, Anxiety, Social Participation and Quality of Life in Children with Migraine During COVID-19

“…Al-Hashel [40] reported that the COVID-19 pandemic had a predominantly negative effect on adults with migraine, highlighting the need to identify risk factors associated with poorer outcomes. Reyes-Alvarez et al [10] investigated 243 migraine patients, who responded to questions covering quarantine circumstances, alterations in working conditions, as well as symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fear of COVID-19. About half the migraine patients they surveyed reported a deterioration in symptoms, while about a third experienced no change in their migraine symptoms.…”

“…Indeed, numerous studies have documented an upsurge in migraine symptoms and frequency among children during the pandemic [5][6][7]. Additionally, restricted access to healthcare services and disrupted follow-up appointments during the pandemic added challenges to the management and treatment of childhood migraine [8][9][10].…”

Actualización sobre la comorbilidad migraña-depresión

“…Lo anterior, sumado a la incertidumbre sobre la evolución de la pandemia, el impacto económico secundario y otros factores adicionales, produjo consecuencias negativas en la población, entre las cuales destacó el empeoramiento de la salud mental y el deterioro en el control de enfermedades como la migraña (10). Reyes-Álvarez et al encontraron que el 48,6 % de los pacientes con migraña tuvieron un deterioro en sus síntomas, mientras que el 15,6 % mejoraron (11).…”