A GLP-1 receptor agonist traditionally used to manage diabetes and weight loss may also bring relief to people living with chronic migraines.
In findings presented at the 11th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology, investigators reported that receipt of liraglutide significantly reduced the number of monthly migraine days in patients with obesity—without the effect being linked to weight loss.
In a single-center, prospective observational study, 26 adult migraine patients with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30 received 1.2 mg of subcutaneous liraglutide daily for 12 weeks. Participants were monitored at a tertiary headache center. The primary endpoint of the trial was the change in monthly headache days after 12 weeks; secondary outcomes included changes in BMI, improvement in Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) scores, and adverse events.
Monthly headache days declined from a mean of 20.04 (standard deviation [SD] = 6.38) at baseline to 8.81 (SD= 6.01) at week 12—a mean reduction of 11.23 days (P < .001). MIDAS scores dropped from 62.58 to 27.23, with a mean difference of 35.35 (P < .001). BMI decreased slightly from 34.01 to 33.65 (P = .060), but this change was not statistically significant. Analysis showed no association between BMI reduction and headache frequency (B = 0.190; P = .949)—evidence supporting a weight-independent effect of liraglutide on migraine reduction.
The treatment was generally well tolerated. Mild gastrointestinal side effects, including nausea and constipation, occurred in 10 patients (38%), but did not lead to discontinuation of liraglutide.
Patients were screened for papilledema to rule out idiopathic intracranial hypertension. The investigators proposed that liraglutide may reduce migraine frequency by lowering cerebrospinal fluid production and intracranial pressure (ICP), mechanisms previously observed in studies of idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Slight increases in ICP may activate trigeminovascular pain pathways implicated in migraine.
The authors noted that larger, randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings and clarify the therapeutic potential of GLP-1 receptor agonists in migraine management.
The authors declared having no competing interests.
Source: EAN 2025 Abstract