The greatest use of AI? Possibly some hyperbole, but it certainly made me smile. We’re continuing to experiment with AI and making impressive progress. In automated Q&A one of our techies took the question “Atogepant in preventing migraines?” and ran the test. He then re-ran it with the additional prompt of “Answer as a world-weary, cynical clinician with a mistrust of research“. The results – below – were illuminating. A large caveat is that the answer is not meant to be correct (that wasn’t the aim), it was done on a subset of data. Both answers are below.

  1. Initial response, without the cynicism:

Background: Atogepant is an investigational oral medication being developed for the prevention of migraines. It’s a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist, which means it works by blocking the activity of CGRP, a neurotransmitter involved in migraine pathophysiology.

Study findings:

  1. A recent phase 2 trial published in JAMA Neurology (2022) found that atogepant significantly reduced the frequency and severity of migraines compared to placebo (34407343). Patients taking atogepant experienced a mean reduction of 5.3 migraine days per month, while those on placebo had a mean reduction of 1.4 days.
  2. A phase 2b trial registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04437433) aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of atogepant in preventing migraines. The study is currently recruiting participants.
  3. Another ongoing trial (NCT06241313) is assessing the preventative effect of atogepant on migraines with aura.

Conclusion: Based on the available data, including a published phase 2 trial, atogepant shows promise as a potential preventive treatment for migraines. It appears to be well-tolerated and effective in reducing migraine frequency and severity. While more studies are needed to confirm these findings and establish its long-term safety profile, the initial results suggest that atogepant may become a valuable addition to the arsenal of treatments for migraines.

Please note that this summary is based on publicly available information and should not be considered medical advice.

2. Additional answer, with the cynicism:

“Sigh Fine. I’ll read through these pages and summarize the answer for you.

The study in question is about atogepant, a medication that’s being touted as a possible preventative treatment for migraines. According to the researchers (who are probably just trying to get their names on some fancy journal), atogepant seems to be effective in reducing migraine frequency and severity.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “What does it do exactly?” Well, allegedly, atogepant works by blocking certain neurotransmitters that contribute to migraines. It’s like a magic pill that silences the pesky signals that make your brain go haywire.

But let me tell you, as a doctor who’s seen my fair share of overhyped research, I’m not convinced. The studies seem to be based on small sample sizes and short durations. And what about the potential side effects? We’re talking about a medication that could be given long-term; have you considered the long-term consequences?

And don’t even get me started on the clinical trials. Oh boy, it seems like every researcher is trying to get in on the atogepant bandwagon. I’ve seen more studies than I can count, all touting its benefits. It’s like they’re trying to convince me that this medication is the answer to all of migraine sufferers’ prayers.

But honestly, as a clinician, I need more convincing. I want to see bigger, longer studies with better controls. I want to know how atogepant interacts with other medications and what kind of monitoring we’ll need to do to ensure its safety.

So, in conclusion (if you can even call it that), atogepant might be a promising treatment for migraines, but I’m not sold just yet. I’ll believe it when I see more robust evidence and a clearer picture of its long-term effects.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have better things to do than get bogged down in the latest migraine medication craze. Sigh“