Treat-Early and Treat-Mild: Role of Fast vs. Slow Escalation of Headaches

This prospective, multi-center, observational study aimed to examine patients' early treatment decision process. Specifically, we assessed if the association between mild headache pain at treatment initiation and early treatment differed by the speed of headache escalation. Patients (n = 168) were instructed to collect information on their headache experience during the study period via an electronic diary over 30 consecutive days after enrollment. At the time of treatment, patients who treated early were 2.3 times as likely to experience mild headache pain as those who treated late. Controlling for the effect of escalation of headache, patients who treated early were three times as likely to report mild headache pain at dosing as those who treated late. The interaction between fast escalation of headache and mild pain was not statistically significant. Early treatment is associated with mild pain, regardless of the speed of headache escalation.