Medikamentöse Therapie der Migräne bei Kindern durch Kinderärzte in Deutschland – welche Rolle spielen Rabattverträge?

Data on the real-world utilization of migraine therapies in children are limited. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the real-world patterns of acute migraine therapy in office-based pediatricians in Germany. The retrospective cross-sectional study included children aged 2-12 years with a migraine diagnosis made by one of 258 pediatricians between January 2015 and December 2023. 10.9% of children aged 2-5 years and 18.3% of children aged 6-12 years received a prescription for migraine medication. The most frequently prescribed medication was ibuprofen (75.4% and 75.9%). Among children aged 2-5 years who received an ibuprofen prescription, 68.2% received ibuprofen as a suspension, 16.3% as rectal suppositories, and 15.5% as melting tablets. In the age group 6-12 years, the suspension (36.3%) was the most frequently prescribed dosage form, followed by melting tablets (31.8%) and regular tablets (29.9%). The proportion of melting tablets was significantly higher in privately insured patients compared to statutory insured patients (53.7% vs. 31.0%) and higher in 2015 compared to 2024 (40.5% vs. 24.8%). Apparently, melting tablets are the preferred dosage form for children, but they cannot always be used due to rebate contracts.