Trigger factors in migraine: a study conducted by the Belgian Migraine Society.

Abstract

SYNOPSISInformation on trigger factors provoking a migraine attack, was collected in 217 migraineurs (176 women, 41 men). In this selected group of patients, most patients were spontaneously aware of one or more trigger factors; 184 (85%) of the patients reported trigger factors with a median number of 3 different trigger factors. The main trigger factors were menstruation (48%) or ovulation (8.5%) in women, certain food (44.7%), alcoholic beverages (51.6%) and stress 148.8%). After excluding the menstrual cycle as a trigger factor, trigger factors were more frequent in women, in older patients and in patients with a longer duration of disease. Women with a menstrual cycle‐related migraine reported more trigger factors, other than the menstrual cycle itself, than women in whom the menstrual cycle had no influence on this migraine: this was especially so for food and beverages. The number and type of trigger factors in the women in whom the migraine was not menstrual cycle‐related, were fully comparable with those in men. Patients in whom alcohol acts as a trigger factor had also significantly more other trigger factors, especially food. The same holds true for patients reporting stress as a trigger factor, but the latter difference is not significant when the different subgroups of trigger factors (food, beverages, other)are considered. Certain trigger factors may be mutually related.