Abstract
Background Recurring migraine disorders are a common medical problem, standing among the top causes of disability and sufferings. This study aimed to evaluate epidemiological evidence to report updated estimates on prevalence, risk factors, and associated comorbidities of migraine headache in the Arab countries. Design and Setting. A systematic review was conducted at the College of Public Health and Health Informatics, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods A systematic search in electronic databases, such as PubMed and Embase, as well as manual searches with cross-referencing was performed from 1990 up to 2019. Overall, 23 included papers were rated independently by two reviewers. Studies were eligible for inclusion only if they investigated migraine headache epidemiology in any Arab country and were published in English. Results Migraine prevalence among the general population ranged between 2.6% and 32%. The estimated prevalence of migraine headache among medical university students ranged between 12.2% and 27.9% and between 7.1% and 13.7% in schoolchildren (6 to 18 years). Females were found more likely to have migraine than males. The duration of migraine attacks became shorter with increasing age, while chronic (daily) migraine showed increasing prevalence with age. The most commonly reported comorbidities with migraine included anxiety, hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome, and depression. Most common headache-triggering factors included stress, fatigue, sleep disturbances, prolonged exposure to excessive sunlight or heat, and hunger. Conclusion The prevalence and risk factors of migraine headache in Arab countries are comparable to reports from western countries. Longitudinal studies are still needed to investigate the prognosis and predictors of chronicity in the arab countries.
Highlights
Headaches are extremely common and can be defined as a disabling condition that may result in a lower quality of life and disturbed job performance, creating a significant economic burden on societies [1]
Various studies that reported on migraine, its epidemiology, and other aspects have come out from the Arab countries; pooling of these findings has not been sufficiently achieved as yet. erefore, we aimed to evaluate the epidemiological evidence in the literature to offer updated estimates on prevalence, risk factors, and associated comorbidities of migraine headache in Arab countries
Eight studies were conducted in Saudi Arabia, three in Egypt, three in Kuwait, two in Jordan, two in Oman, two in Qatar, and one study each in Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen
Summary
Headaches are extremely common and can be defined as a disabling condition that may result in a lower quality of life and disturbed job performance, creating a significant economic burden on societies [1]. Migraine is a neurovascular disorder characterized by persistent headache ranging from moderate to severe pain. It affects only one side of the head, as a pulsating pain, and lasts from hours to days. Is study aimed to evaluate epidemiological evidence to report updated estimates on prevalence, risk factors, and associated comorbidities of migraine headache in the Arab countries. E estimated prevalence of migraine headache among medical university students ranged between 12.2% and 27.9% and between 7.1% and 13.7% in schoolchildren (6 to 18 years). Most common headache-triggering factors included stress, fatigue, sleep disturbances, prolonged exposure to excessive sunlight or heat, and hunger. E prevalence and risk factors of migraine headache in Arab countries are comparable to reports from western countries. Longitudinal studies are still needed to investigate the prognosis and predictors of chronicity in the arab countries
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