Medication Overuse Headache and Health-Related Quality of Life for Adults with Migraine in Saudi Arabia

Background: Migraine is a chronic illness that may impact the daily living and quality of life of affected individuals and might lead to excessive use of antimigraine medications. Quality of life in migraine patients is crucial, as it highlights the significant impact of migraines on daily activities, emotional well-being, and overall health. This study aims to assess the association between medication overuse headache and migraine-specific quality of life in migraine patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a neurology clinic in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from April 2025 to October 2025. Data about the quality of life were collected using the Migraine-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MSQ). Medication overuse was identified using the International Classification of Headache Disorders, third edition (ICHD-3) criteria, and migraine severity was classified using the Migraine Symptom Severity Scale. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the study sample. Bivariate tests and multivariable linear regression were used to assess factors associated with MSQ. All statistical analyses were performed using SAS (ver. 9.4). Results: A total of 152 migraine patients were included, of whom 17.1% met the criteria for medication overuse headache (MOH). In bivariate analyses, MOH was significantly associated with lower Migraine-Specific Quality of Life (MSQ) scores across all domains (p < 0.001). Multiple adjusted linear regression confirmed MOH and migraine severity as the factors independently associated with reduced MSQ, with MOH associated with lower RR (β = –11.65), RP (β = –12.84), and EF (β = –16.23) scores (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: Medication overuse headache is common among migraine patients, affecting nearly one in six individuals in this study. It is strongly associated with increased migraine severity and a substantial reduction in quality of life across all domains. These findings highlight the critical need for early identification and appropriate management of medication overuse in clinical practice.