Treatment Patterns for and Characteristics of Headache in Children and Adolescents Aged 6-17 Years in Japan: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis of Health Insurance Claims Data.

Objective: To investigate the prescription patterns for patients aged 6-17 years with headaches in the REZULT database.

Methods: We cross-sectionally investigated (Study 1) the pattern of prescription and the proportion of triptan overprescription (≥30 tablets/90 d of triptans) among patients diagnosed with headaches in 2020. Next, we longitudinally studied patients (Study 2) for more than two years from the initial headache diagnosis (July 2010 to April 2022).

Treatment patterns and characteristics of headache in patients in Japan: A retrospective cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of health insurance claims data.

Background: The present study aimed to investigate prescription patterns for patients aged over 17 years with headaches in the REZULT database.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study (Study 1) of the proportion of over-prescription of acute medications (≥30 tablets/90 days for triptans, combination non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and multiple types; ≥45 tablets/90 days for single NSAIDs) among patients with headache diagnosed in 2020. We longitudinally studied (Study 2) patients for >2 years from initial headache diagnosis (July 2010 to April 2022).