New Migraine Assessment Tool Is Reliable, Valid, and Responsive

The Vestibular Migraine Patient Assessment Tool and Handicap Inventory (VM-PATHI) is effective for measuring disease severity among patients with vestibular migraine, according to new data published in Otology & Neurotology.

To validate the VM-PATHI, the researchers evaluated adult patients presenting with definite or probable vestibular migraine at a tertiary care vestibular center. Vestibular migraine was defined by the Barany Society Criteria.

The VM-PATHI is a 25-item questionnaire that was administered to patients upon presentation. The items were developed based on expert input, literature review, and patient feedback.

Scores from patients with vestibular migraine were then compared with scores from a control group, over several time points, and with other measures of dizziness and quality of life.

Overall, the VM-PATHI showed excellent test-retest reliability, responsiveness to treatment, and correlated well with general quality of life, depression, and anxiety scores, as well as with the Dizziness Handicap Inventory.

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Sharon JD, Krauter R, Kirk L, et al. Development and validation of VM-PATHI: vestibular migraine patient assessment tool and handicap inventory. Otol Neurotol. 2020;41(4):e494-e500. https://doi.org/10.1097/mao.0000000000002561