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Development of the Functional Assessment of Migraine Scale Using a Patient Guided Approach
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Description: Objective: The goal of this project was to develop the Functional Assessment of Migraine Scale (FAMS), a patient reported outcome measure which evaluates patient identified efficacy factors when appraising migraine treatment response. Background: The ever-changing landscape of headache and migraine therapeutic options warrants a need to revise and improve methods of assessing treatment progression and disease modification. Popular tools such as the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6™), Patient Perception of Migraine Questionnaire (PPMQ-R), Migraine Specific Quality of Life (MSQ), and Migraine Disability Assessment Tool (MIDAS) are used in both clinical trials and clinically to attempt to evaluate treatment response; however, many of these tools lack the capability to capture long-term meaningful response targeting patient-centric outcome measures. Methods: A small group of patients with migraine (N = 10) were given a semi-structured interview collecting information regarding a patient’s perspective on meaningful response to headache and migraine treatment. From these interviews a set of questions aimed at evaluating meaningful response were developed. Two larger focus groups (N = 100, 200) of patients with migraine then provided feedback on the drafted questions. Results: Interviews indicated thematic areas of interest to patients with migraine that are not commonly assessed on popular measures. Over two hundred items were developed to assess thematic areas indicated by patients. Factor analysis used on focus group results led to the development of an 18-item scale that reliably assesses the complete patient with migraine and their response to treatment. Conclusions: Due to the large number prophylactic and therapeutic options for migraine, a comprehensive assessment of treatment response is necessary. The FAMS portrays promising results at measuring a multi-faceted migraine treatment response.