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AzTrials

MigraineNCT02695498

Mindfulness and Mechanisms of Pain Processing in Adults With Migraines

A study testing Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Migraine/stress Education in people with Migraine, run by Wake Forest University Health Sciences at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Although many adults with migraines use non-pharmacological treatment options, there is a lack of research on the use of many mind/body techniques specifically for headache. This research will further the understanding of the mechanisms, efficacy, and predictors of mind-body practices in adults with migraines. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Migraine
What is being tested?
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Migraine/stress Education
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
89 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
26 Aug 2016to 17 Jul 2019
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Diagnosis of migraine; ≥18yo; ≥1 yr of migraines; 4-20 days/month with migraines; able and willing to participate in 8 weekly sessions and daily homework 30-45min

Who cannot join

  • Current regular (weekly or more often) practice of meditation; any major unstable medical/psychiatric illness (e.g., hospitalization within 90 days, suicide risk, etc.); other non-migraine chronic pain condition (e.g., fibromyalgia, low back pain, etc.) or sensory abnormalities (e.g., neuropathy, Raynaud's, etc.); diagnosis of medication overuse headache; volunteers with no pain ratings to frankly noxious stimuli (temperatures > 49°C) or excessive responses to threshold temperatures (~43°C); current or planned pregnancy or breastfeeding, any new medication started within 4 weeks of screening visit; unwilling to maintain stable current medication dosages for duration of trial; failure to complete baseline headache logs.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Wake Forest University Health Sciences

    Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27157

Other trials in United States

About this study

Although many adults with migraines use non-pharmacological treatment options, there is a lack of research on the use of many mind/body techniques specifically for headache. This research will further the understanding of the mechanisms, efficacy, and predictors of mind-body practices in adults with migraines.

Read the detailed description

Migraine is a common and disabling pain condition. Affective/cognitive processes, such as pain catastrophizing and emotional reactivity, often play a major role in migraine pain and disability. These processes may be just as important to target as the sensory aspect given their impact on outcomes and disability. Because of this cognitive/affective load that builds over time in migraine, we hypothesize A) migraineurs perceive affective pain processing differently than non-migraineurs and B) mind/body therapies that target these factors may be especially beneficial and may differentially impact the affective component of migraine pain. Evidence shows that meditation decreases affective (e.g., pain unpleasantness) over sensory (e.g., pain intensity) response to experimental pain and reduces pain by engaging brain regions important for cognitive and affective modulation of pain. By measuring both experimental and clinical pain, the study team will be able to test these hypotheses.

Conditions
Migraine
Being tested
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Migraine/stress Education
Keywords
migraine with aura, migraine without aura, pain, controls, mind-body
Medical subject headings
Migraine Disorders, Migraine with Aura, Migraine without Aura, Pain

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Mindfulness Based Stress ReductionOther

    MBSR is a standardized course in mindfulness mediation and yoga. The participants will meet weekly for 8 weeks for 2.5 hours, plus a "mindfulness retreat day" (approximately 6 hours) after the 6th class [9 total classes.] Mindfulness is cultivated through meditation, body scan (sequential attention to parts of the body), and mindful movement (bodily awareness during gentle stretching, based on yoga). The instructor also gives information about stress and stress relief.

  • Migraine/stress EducationOther

    The participants will be educated about migraine pathophysiology, headache triggers, stress, gentle stretches, and daily migraine readings.

Study groups in NCT02695498
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Mindfulness Based Stress ReductionExperimentalMindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a standardized course in mindfulness mediation and yoga.
Receives: Other: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
Migraine/stress EducationExperimentalThis course will educate participants about migraine pathophysiology, headache triggers, stress, gentle stretches, and daily migraine readings.
Receives: Other: Migraine/stress Education

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change in Frequency of Migraine Days Per Month From Baseline

    Change in frequency of migraine days from baseline: A migraine day is defined as a calendar day (00:00 to 23:59) when the patient reports 4 or more continuous hours of a moderate to severe headache (rating of 6-10 on 0-10 pain intensity scale) and/or they treated a headache with abortive medication; tracked with headache logs.

    Measured: Baseline and immediately post-intervention (12 weeks)

Secondary outcomes (39)
  1. Change in Frequency of Migraine Days From Baseline

    Change in frequency of migraine days from baseline: A migraine day is defined as a calendar day (00:00 to 23:59) when the patient reports 4 or more continuous hours of a moderate to severe headache (rating of 6-10 on 0-10 pain intensity scale) and/or they treated a headache with abortive medication; tracked with headache logs

    Measured: 3 months post-intervention

  2. Change in Frequency of Headache Days From Baseline

    Change in frequency of any day with a headache tracked with headache logs

    Measured: Baseline to Immediately post-intervention (12 weeks)

  3. Change in Headache Duration From Baseline to 12 Weeks

    Modeled change in headache duration from baseline 4 weeks to weeks 8-12 by calculating the duration (in hours) of each headache attack and using a multivariable linear mixed model framework controlling for baseline value of the outcome of interest, treatment group, cohort, and within participant variation via random effects, with significance based on the treatment group effect and phase interaction at .05 significance level.

    Measured: From baseline to Immediately post-intervention (12 weeks)

  4. Change in Migraine Severity-pain Intensity From Baseline to Week 12

    change in headache severity-pain intensity from baseline 4 weeks to weeks 8-12. For each headache attack, participants rated the pain intensity on a 0-10 scale (0, no pain sensation, 10 most intense pain sensation imaginable). We calculated the pain intensity of each headache attack and used a multivariable linear model framework controlling for baseline value of the outcome of interest, treatment group, cohort, and within participant variation via random effects, with significance based on the treatment group effect and phase interaction at .05 significance level.

    Measured: baseline to Week 12

  5. Change in Headache Severity-pain Intensity From Baseline to Week 12

    Modeled change in headache severity-pain intensity from baseline 4 weeks to weeks 8-12. For each headache attack, participants rated the pain intensity on a 0-10 scale (0, no pain sensation, 10 most intense pain sensation imaginable). Higher scores mean a worse outcome in terms of pain intensity.

    Measured: Baseline and 12 weeks

  6. Change in Migraine Severity-pain Unpleasantness From Baseline

    Change in migraine severity on 0-10 scale in pain unpleasantness from baseline (tracked with headache logs)

    Measured: Baseline to 6 months post-intervention

  7. Change in Headache Severity-pain Unpleasantness From Baseline to 12 Weeks

    Change in headache severity on 0-10 scale (0, "not at all unpleasant" to 10, "most unpleasant imaginable") in pain unpleasantness from baseline 4 weeks to weeks 8-12 (tracked with headache logs).

    Measured: Baseline and 12 weeks

  8. Percent Change in Score in Response to Experimental Heat Pain on Pain Intensity Measure From Baseline (0-10) Visual Analogue Scale (VAS Scale ) to 12 Weeks

    Using a 10 cm sliding visual analogue scale, participants quantified intensity (from "no pain sensation" to "most intense imaginable"), at baseline and at 12 weeks for each of 6 measures at 49 °C. A multivariable linear mixed model was used to model the percent change from baseline in perceived pain intensity at each visit for each of 6 measures at 49 °C. The VAS consists of a 10cm line, with two end points representing 0 ('no pain') and 10 ('pain as bad as it could possibly be'). Ask the patient to rate their current level of pain by placing a mark on the line.

    Measured: Baseline to week 12

  9. Percent Change in Response Score to Experimental Heat Pain on Pain Unpleasantness Measure From Baseline (0-10) Visual Analogue Scale (VAS Scale) From Baseline to 12 Weeks

    Using a 10 cm sliding visual analogue scale, participants quantified unpleasantness (from "not at all unpleasant" to "most unpleasant imaginable"). Participants rated perceived pain unpleasantness at baseline and at 12 weeks for each of 6 measures at 49 °C. A multivariable linear mixed model was used to model the percent change from baseline in perceived pain intensity at each visit for each of 6 measures at 49 °C. Change scores were modeled as a function of treatment group and visit, controlling for baseline. The VAS consists of a 10cm line, with two end points representing 0 ('no pain') and 10 ('pain as bad as it could possibly be'). Ask the patient to rate their current level of pain by placing a mark on the line.

    Measured: Baseline to week 12

  10. Change in Experimental Heat Pain Threshold From Baseline to Week 12

    Change in Experimental Heat Pain Threshold From Baseline to 12 weeks

    Measured: Baseline to week 12

  11. Change in Headache-related Disability From Baseline

    Change in headache-related disability from baseline (Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS)-one month) Score range is 0-21+

    0 to 5: MIDAS grade I, little or no disability 6 to 10: MIDAS grade II, mild disability 11 to 20: MIDAS grade III, moderate disability 21 or higher: MIDAS grade IV, severe disability

    Measured: Baseline to Immediately post-intervention

  12. Change in Headache Disability Scores From Baseline

    Change in headache-related disability from baseline ( Headache Impact Test (HIT)-6)

    Headache impact severity level can be categorized using score ranges based on the HIT-6 interpretation guide (29), The four headache impact severity categories are little or no impact (49 or less), some impact (50-55), substantial impact (56-59), and severe impact (60-78). Range is 10-78 with higher score = more disability

    Measured: Baseline to Immediately post-intervention

  13. Change in Headache-related Quality of Life Scores From Baseline

    Change in headache-related quality of life from baseline (Migraine Specific Quality of Life, v2.1)

    The Migraine Specific Quality of Life (MSQoL) is a patient-reported outcome measure (PRO or PROM) which assesses the quality of life of migraineurs. It is a 25-item questionnaire which is filled out by the patient and is used to determine how the patient's life has been affected by their migraines - larger scores reflecting greater impact - scores ≤ 49 represent little or no impact, scores between 50 and 55 represent some impact, scores between 56 and 59 represent substantial impact, and scores ≥ 60 indicate severe impact

    Measured: Baseline to Immediately post-intervention

  14. Change in Mindfulness Scores From Baseline

    Change in mindfulness from baseline (Five-Facet Mindfulness Scale) - measures the trait-like tendency to be mindful in daily life. It is comprised of the following five related facets: observing, describing, acting with awareness, nonjudging, and nonreactivity - The 39 items of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) are rated on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (never or very rarely true) to 5 (very often or always true).

    • Higher scores reflect higher mindfulness scores
    • Range 39-195
    • Subscales are summed for the total score

    Measured: Baseline to Immediately post-intervention

  15. Change in Emotion Regulation Scores From Baseline to 12 Weeks

    Change in emotion regulation from baseline (Difficulty Emotion Regulation Scale), Higher scores suggest greater problems with emotion regulation - The total score ranges from 16-80 with higher scores indicating more difficulties with emotion regulation

    Measured: Baseline to week 12

  16. Change in Pain Catastrophizing From Baseline to 12 Weeks

    Change in pain catastrophizing from baseline (Pain Catastrophizing Scale)

    Patients are asked to rate the degree to which they have any of the thoughts described in the questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (never) to 4 (always). The total score is the sum of the scores for the individual items, and ranges from 0 to 52 - higher scores relating to more pain

    Measured: Baseline to Immediately post-intervention (12 weeks)

  17. Change in Pain Acceptance From Baseline to 12 Weeks

    Change in pain acceptance from baseline (Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire), higher scores reflect higher levels of pain acceptance; total range 0-156.

    Measured: Baseline and week 12

  18. Change in Perceived Stress From Baseline to 12 Weeks

    Change in perceived stress from baseline (Perceived Stress Scale); Score Range: 0-40 with lower scores reflecting lower perceived stress. Ranges: 0-13 Low Stress; 14-26 Moderate Stress; 27-40 High perceived stress.

    Measured: Baseline and week 12

  19. Change in Depression Scores From Baseline

    Change in depression from baseline (Patient health-related Questionnaire-depression module, PHQ-9)

    Scores less than 5 almost always signified the absence of a depressive disorder; scores of 5 to 9 predominantly represented patients with either no depression or subthreshold (i.e., other) depression; scores of 10 to 14 represented a spectrum of patients; and scores of 15 or greater usually indicated major depression - The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) total score ranges from 0 to 27 (scores of 5-9 are classified as mild depression; 10-14 as moderate depression; 15-19 as moderately severe depression; ≥ 20 as severe depression)

    Measured: Baseline to Immediately post-intervention

  20. Change in Anxiety Scores From Baseline

    Change in anxiety from baseline (Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7). Higher Scores suggest a greater level of anxiety.

    Score 0-4: Minimal Anxiety. Score 5-9: Mild Anxiety. Score 10-14: Moderate Anxiety. Score greater than 15: Severe Anxiety - GAD-7 score of 0-4 (none), 5-9 (mild), 10-14 (moderate), and 15-21 (severe)

    Measured: Baseline to Immediately post-intervention

  21. Change in Self-efficacy Scores From Baseline

    Change in self-efficacy from baseline (Headache Management Self-Efficacy scale). Higher scores reflect more self-efficacy.

    The Headache Self-Efficacy Scale is a 51 item scale designed specifically for recurrent headache sufferers. It assesses individuals' belief that they are able to do the things necessary to prevent a moderately painful headache when confronted with personally relevant headache precipitants - The scale has a range of scores from 0-90. A higher number on the score represents a higher self-efficacy for exercise

    Measured: Baseline to Immediately post-intervention

  22. Change in Hope Scores From Baseline to 12 Weeks

    Change in hope from baseline (Herth Hope Index); Higher scores suggest higher levels of "Hope."

    Herth Hope Scale (HHS) is a measure that attempts to capture the multidimensional aspects of hope. This is a 4-point summated rating scale.

    Each item in the 30-item instrument is scored on a scale from 0 to 3, a score of 3 indicates that the item often applies and a score of 0 indicates that the statement never applies to the respondent. Summative scores can range from 0 to 90; higher scores denote greater hope. In terms of item order, no two consecutive items are from the same subscale.

    Measured: Baseline and week 12

  23. Change in Optimism From Baseline to 12 Weeks

    Change in optimism from baseline (Life Orientation Test-revised); Higher scores indicate greater levels of optimism.

    The Life Orientation Test (LOT) was developed to measure individual differences in optimism versus pessimism. Response options: 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0, "Strongly disagree" to 4, "Strongly agree". Total score: Items are summed, yielding a range from 0 to 32.

    Measured: Baseline to week 12

  24. Change in Sleep From Baseline - (NIH Promis Sleep Disturbance) to Week 12

    Change in sleep from baseline measured with by NIH Promis Sleep Disturbance; Higher scores indicate greater severity of sleep disturbance; Range from 8-40.

    Measured: Baseline and week 12

  25. Change in Sleep From Baseline - (NIH Promis Sleep Disturbance) to 12 Weeks

    Change in sleep from baseline measured with by NIH Promis Sleep Disturbance; Higher scores indicate greater severity of sleep disturbance; Range from 8-40.

    Measured: Baseline and week 12

  26. Change in Global Health From Baseline to 12 Weeks

    Change in global health from baseline (NIH Promis Global Health-1st question); Range 0-5, 5 highest.

    Measured: Baseline and week 12

  27. Change in Social Connectedness From Baseline to 12 Weeks

    Change in social connectedness from baseline (Social Connectedness Scale-revised); Higher scores reflect a higher level of social connection.

    It is on a likert scale with 1 being strongly disagree to 6 being strongly agree.

    Measured: Baseline to week 12

  28. Change in Flourishing From Baseline to 12 Weeks

    Change in flourishing from baseline (Flourishing scale); Higher scores represents a person with many psychological resources and strength; Range from 8-56.

    Measured: Baseline and week 12

  29. Change in Resilience Scores From Baseline to 12 Weeks

    Change in resilience from baseline (Brief Resilience scale); higher scores indicate greater levels of resilience; scores range from 6-30

    Measured: Baseline to week 12

  30. Change in Allodynia From Baseline to 12 Weeks

    Change in allodynia from baseline (Allodynia Symptom Checklist), score range 0-24, 0-2 none; 3-5 mild; 6-8 moderate; 9+ severe

    Cutaneous allodynia (CA) scale defining no CA (scores 0-2), mild CA (3-5), moderate CA (6-8), and severe CA (≥9).

    Measured: Baseline to week 12

  31. Change in Number of Migraine Days From Baseline

    Change in frequency of migraine days from baseline: A migraine day is defined as a calendar day (00:00 to 23:59) when the patient reports 4 or more continuous hours of a moderate to severe headache (rating of 6-10 on 0-10 pain intensity scale) and/or they treated a headache with abortive medication; tracked with headache logs

    Measured: Baseline to 6 months post-intervention

  32. Change in Number of Headache Days From Baseline

    Change in frequency of any day with a headache tracked with headache logs

    Measured: Baseline to 3 Months post-intervention

  33. Change in Number of Headache Days From Baseline

    Change in frequency of any day with a headache tracked with headache logs

    Measured: Baseline to 6 Months post-intervention

  34. Change in Headache Duration From Baseline to 24 Weeks

    Modeled change in headache duration from baseline 4 weeks to weeks 20-24 by calculating the duration (in hours) of each headache attack

    Measured: Baseline to 3 Months post-intervention (24 weeks)

  35. Change in Headache Duration From Baseline to 36 Weeks

    Modeled change in headache duration from baseline 4 weeks to weeks 32-36 by calculating the duration (in hours) of each headache attack

    Measured: Baseline to 6 Months post-intervention (36 weeks)

  36. Change in Headache Severity-pain Intensity From Baseline to 24 Weeks

    change in headache severity-pain intensity from baseline 4 weeks to weeks 20-24 weeks. For each headache attack, participants rated the pain intensity on a 0-10 scale (0, no pain sensation, 10 most intense pain sensation imaginable). We calculated the pain intensity of each headache attack and used a multivariable linear mixed model framework controlling for baseline value of the outcome of interest, treatment group, cohort, and within participant variation via random effects, with significance based on the treatment group effect and phase interaction at .05 significance level.

    Measured: Baseline and 24 weeks

  37. Change in Headache Severity-pain Intensity From Baseline to 36 Weeks

    change in headache severity-pain intensity from baseline 4 weeks to weeks 32-36. For each headache attack, participants rated the pain intensity on a 0-10 scale (0, no pain sensation, 10 most intense pain sensation imaginable). We calculated the pain intensity of each headache attack and used a multivariable linear mixed model framework controlling for baseline value of the outcome of interest, treatment group, cohort, and within participant variation via random effects, with significance based on the treatment group effect and phase interaction at .05 significance level.

    Measured: Baseline and 36 weeks

  38. Change in Headache Severity-pain Unpleasantness From Baseline to 24 Weeks

    Change in headache severity on 0-10 scale (0, "not at all unpleasant" to 10, "most unpleasant imaginable") in pain unpleasantness from baseline 4 weeks to weeks 20-24 (tracked with headache logs).

    Measured: Baseline and 24 weeks

  39. Change in Headache Severity-pain Unpleasantness From Baseline to Week 36

    Change in headache severity on 0-10 scale (0, "not at all unpleasant" to 10, "most unpleasant imaginable") in pain unpleasantness from baseline 4 weeks to weeks 32-36 (tracked with headache logs).

    Measured: Baseline and week 36

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted1 Mar 2016 (estimated)
  2. Study start26 Aug 2016
  3. Primary completion17 Jul 2019
  4. Study completion17 Jul 2019

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
89 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02695498
Sponsor's protocol ID
IRB00027845-B
Other IDs
K23AT008406
Status last verified
Aug 2019
First submitted
11 Jan 2016
Last updated
27 Nov 2023
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Yes: Findings will be disseminated so that providers can implement the results into clinical practice, for scientists to build upon in their research, and for patients to inform treatment decisions. Results will be made publicly available through this website. In addition, results will be published in respected peer-reviewed journals, presented to colleagues at scientific meetings, and discussed with the press.

Publications

  • Wells RE, Burch R, Paulsen RH, Wayne PM, Houle TT, Loder E. Meditation for migraines: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Headache. 2014 Oct;54(9):1484-95. doi: 10.1111/head.12420. Epub 2014 Jul 18.

    PubMed 25041058
  • Wells RE, O'Connell N, Pierce CR, Estave P, Penzien DB, Loder E, Zeidan F, Houle TT. Effectiveness of Mindfulness Meditation vs Headache Education for Adults With Migraine: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2021 Mar 1;181(3):317-328. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.7090.

    PubMed 33315046

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Migraine/stress Education in people with Migraine, run by Wake Forest University Health Sciences at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Nov 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 27 Nov 2023). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change in Frequency of Migraine Days Per Month From Baseline (time frame: Baseline and immediately post-intervention (12 weeks)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02695498, which also lists 2 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 Nov 2023; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.

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