New treatment for migraines: Use of monoclonal antibodies – Review

Abstract

Migraine is one of the most prevalent diseases in the population and is also one of the main disabling diseases, having a negative impact on the sufferer's quality of life. Migraine mainly affects people of working age, reducing productivity and impacting the entire labor market. The field of migraine therapies includes monoclonal antibodies that inhibit the Calcitonin Gene Related Peptide (CGRP), which has a strong correlation with the pathophysiology of migraine attacks. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the literature to review the treatment of migraines with the use of monoclonal antibodies, analyzing the prognosis and improvement of patients who have undergone treatment. A systematic review of the literature was carried out between September 2021 and April 2022 by two independent researchers. A total of 1,105 articles were identified, of which 33 met the inclusion criteria and were then analyzed. The use of the monoclonal antibodies Erenumab, Eptinezumab, Fremanezumab and Galcanezumab showed better results in all the parameters analyzed when compared to the placebo groups. They showed a reduction in the average number of migraine days per month, a reduction in the number of days with crises, a reduction in the use of acute medication and an improvement in quality of life assessment scores. In conclusion, monoclonal antibodies are an innovative therapy for migraine and are emerging as preventive options with good tolerability in terms of adverse effects and efficacy. Further research should be carried out with a view to evaluating efficacy and long-term safety, given the recent introduction of this therapy.