• Megan R Stafford, Asha Hareendran, Daisy S Ng-Mak, Ralph P Insinga, Ruifeng Xu, and Donald E Stull.
• Outcomes Research, United BioSource Corporation, 26-28 Hammersmith Grove, Floor 5E, London, W6 7HA, United Kingdom.
• Health Qual Life Out. 2012 Jan 1; 10: 65.

BackgroundTo estimate utility values for different levels of migraine pain severity from a United Kingdom (UK) sample of migraineurs.MethodsOne hundred and six migraineurs completed the EQ-5D to evaluate their health status for mild, moderate and severe levels of migraine pain severity for a recent migraine attack, and for current health defined as health status within seven days post-migraine attack. Statistical tests were used to evaluate differences in mean utility scores by migraine severity.ResultsUtility scores for each health state were significantly different from 1.0 (no problems on any EQ-5D dimension) (p < 0.0001) and one another (p < 0.0001). The lowest mean utility, - 0.20 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.27 - -0.13), was for severe migraine pain. The smallest difference in mean utility was between mild and moderate migraine pain (0.13) and the largest difference in mean utility was between current health (without migraine) and severe migraine pain (1.07).ConclusionsResults indicate that all levels of migraine pain are associated with significantly reduced utility values. As severity worsened, utility decreased and severe migraine pain was considered a health state worse than death. Results can be used in cost-utility models examining the relative economic value of therapeutic strategies for migraine in the UK.

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