Migraine In Individuals Research Articles

Diagnostic Performance of Cortical Lesions and the Central Vein Sign in Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) misdiagnosis remains an important issue in clinical practice. To quantify the performance of cortical lesions (CLs) and central vein sign (CVS) in distinguishing MS from other conditions showing brain lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This was a retrospective, cross-sectional multicenter study, with clinical and MRI data acquired between January 2010 and May 2020. Centralized MRI analysis was conducted between July 2020 and December 2022 by 2 raters blinded to participants' diagnosis. Participants were recruited from 14 European centers and from a multicenter pan-European cohort. Eligible participants had a diagnosis of MS, clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), or non-MS conditions; availability of a brain 3-T MRI scan with at least 1 sequence suitable for CL and CVS assessment; presence of T2-hyperintense white matter lesions (WMLs). A total of 1051 individuals were included with either MS/CIS (n = 599; 386 [64.4%] female; mean [SD] age, 41.5 [12.3] years) or non-MS conditions (including other neuroinflammatory disorders, cerebrovascular disease, migraine, and incidental WMLs in healthy control individuals; n = 452; 302 [66.8%] female; mean [SD] age, 49.2 [14.5] years). Five individuals were excluded due to missing clinical or demographic information (n = 3) or unclear diagnosis (n = 2). MS/CIS vs non-MS conditions. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) were used to explore the diagnostic performance of CLs and the CVS in isolation and in combination; sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated for various cutoffs. The diagnostic importance of CLs and CVS compared to conventional MRI features (ie, presence of infratentorial, periventricular, and juxtacortical WMLs) was ranked with a random forest model. The presence of CLs and the previously proposed 40% CVS rule had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for MS of 59.0% (95% CI, 55.1-62.8), 93.6% (95% CI, 91.4-95.6), and 73.9% (95% CI, 71.6-76.3) and 78.7% (95% CI, 75.5-82.0), 86.0% (95% CI, 82.1-89.5), and 81.5% (95% CI, 78.9-83.7), respectively. The diagnostic performance of the CVS (AUC, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.86-0.91]) was superior to that of CLs (AUC, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.75-0.80]; P < .001), and was increased when combining the 2 imaging markers (AUC, 0.92 [95% CI, 0.90-0.94]; P = .04); in the random forest model, both CVS and CLs outperformed the presence of infratentorial, periventricular, and juxtacortical WMLs in supporting MS differential diagnosis. The findings in this study suggest that CVS and CLs may be valuable tools to increase the accuracy of MS diagnosis.

Development and Validation of a Japanese-Language Questionnaire to Screen for Tension-Type Headaches and Migraines.

Introduction Migraine and tension-type headache (TTH) are chronic diseases associated with significant socioeconomic losses and social and psychological impact (current global prevalence: 10% and 38%, respectively). Thus, they require accurate identification and classification. In clinical practice, validated screening tools able to quickly determine migraine and TTH with high sensitivity and specificity help provide an objective and multifaceted understanding of patients' headache symptoms. However, no tool has been developed or validated yet in Japan to ask multifaceted questions about headache-related symptoms in order to identify migraine and TTH and understand these symptoms. This study aimed to develop a questionnaire for screening TTH and migraine. Methods The study was conducted from March to June 2022 at a medical institution in Osaka, Japan. The questionnaire - comprising 24 questions that were generated based on the 3rd edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders - was used to screen for migraine and TTH, aiming for a deeper understanding of related symptoms. The participants were patients aged ≥18 years with at least one of the following diagnoses: migraine, TTH. The participants were asked to respond in writing or online. The inclusion criteria were age ≥18 years; headache patients attending a hospital; and diagnoses of at least one of the following: migraine, TTH. The informativeness and discriminating ability of the screening items were evaluated using the item response theory. Items with a calculated discrimination ≥1.35 (high or very high) were retained for screening purposes. Basic questions required to screen for primary headaches were retained, despite their limited computational discrimination power. Ultimately, nine and eight screening items were finalized for migraine and TTH, respectively. The previous neurologists' clinical diagnosis of each patient was used as the gold standard reference for calculating sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values regarding the screening items. Cohen's kappa coefficients with 95% CIs were also calculated to determine the agreement between the neurologists' clinical diagnosis and the questionnaire results. Results The study population comprised 69 patients aged 19-89 years who were assisted at a hospital division specializing in headache medicine and diagnosed by neurologists. Of these, 22 patients had migraine, 30 had TTH, and 17 had migraine/TTH. Comparing the neurologists' clinical diagnosis with our screening questionnaire results, the sensitivity and specificity were 72.7% and 86.7% for migraine and 50.0% and 86.4% for TTH, respectively. Conclusions Our brief screening tool was highly specific for diagnosing migraine and TTH in individuals with headache symptoms but lacked sufficient sensitivity, especially for TTH. The high specificity for migraine and TTH suggests that the screening tool we developed in this study can correctly identify those who do not have migraine and TTH. The sensitivity was also relatively high for migraine, suggesting that the tool can correctly identify migraine-positive individuals. However, the sensitivity for TTH was low. This tool could help clinicians in providing detailed course assessment of migraine symptoms and TTH symptoms; however, the issue of low sensitivity for TTH needs to be addressed.

Immune Fitness, Migraine, and Headache Complaints in Individuals with Self-Reported Impaired Wound Healing.

Having chronic wounds and impaired wound healing are associated with psychological distress. The current study aims to evaluate migraine and headache complaints in young adults with self-reported impaired wound healing. A survey was conducted among N=1935 young adults (83.6% women), 18-30 years old, living in the Netherlands. Wound healing status was verified, immune fitness was assessed using a single-item rating scale, and ID Migraine was completed. In addition, several questions were answered on past year's headache experiences (including frequency, quantity, type, location, and severity). In both the control group (p < 0.001) and the IWH group (p = 0.002) immune fitness was significantly lower among those that reported headaches compared to those that reported no headaches. Individuals with self-reported impaired wound healing (IWH) scored significantly higher on the ID Migraine scale, and individuals of the IWH group scored significantly more often positive for migraine (ie, an ID Migraine score ≥2). They reported a younger age of onset of experiencing headaches, and significantly more often reported having a beating or pounding headache than the control group. Compared to the control group, the IWH group reported being significantly more limited in their daily activities compared to the control group. Headaches and migraines are more frequently reported by individuals with self-reported impaired wound healing, and their reported immune fitness is significantly poorer compared to healthy controls. These headache and migraine complaints significantly limit them in their daily activities.

Efficacy and Safety of Rimegepant for the Acute Treatment of Migraine in Black and African American Adults: Results From 3 Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials (P9-12.009)

Efficacy and Safety of Rimegepant for the Acute Treatment of Migraine in Black and African American Adults: Results From 3 Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials (P9-12.009)

Bidirectional association between fibromyalgia and migraine among probands and unaffected non-twin siblings: A nationwide population-based study.

This study explored the bidirectional relationship between fibromyalgia and migraine among probands with either of the two disorders and their unaffected siblings. Evidence suggests a bidirectional association between fibromyalgia and migraine in individuals and in twins. However, whether a bidirectional association between fibromyalgia and migraine also occurs among siblings remains unknown. Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, we examined the data of 2677 probands with fibromyalgia, 2780 unaffected siblings, and 11,120 matched controls to assess the risk of migraine. In contrast, 1830 probands with migraine, 1936 unaffected siblings, and 7744 matched controls to assess the risk of fibromyalgia. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that patients with fibromyalgia (odds ratio [OR]: 3.69; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.87-4.74) and unaffected siblings (OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.08-2.10) were more likely to develop migraine than the controls during the follow-up period. Moreover, patients with migraine and unaffected siblings had a 4.86-fold (95% CI: 3.86-6.09) and 1.59-fold (95% CI: 1.18-2.12) increased risk of fibromyalgia than the controls. The bidirectional association between fibromyalgia and migraine among probands and unaffected siblings suggests a familial coaggregation of these two conditions. Additional studies are required to investigate the genetic and environmental etiologies for this coaggregation.

Evaluation of a possible relation between dentinal hypersensitivity and migraine

Objectives: this study aims to find out any possible role of dentine hypersensitivity as a triggering factor for migraine in susceptible individuals. Methods: This prospective clinical interventional study was done by enrolling 160 patients who were diagnosed as having migraine according to guidelines of ‘International Headache Society ‘Criteria for Migraine, who were followed for a period of 3 months and those 84 people who showed definite symptoms of hypersensitivity were further investigated for next 3 months by dividing them into Group A (Group who had dentine hypersensitivity and migraine and received relevant dental treatment to stop dentine hypersensitivity) and Group B (People who had dentine hypersensitivity and migraine but no dental intervention was done to treat dentine hypersensitivity) both these groups were observed for frequency and intensity of migraine attacks for a period of three months.

Multisensory sensitivity differentiates between multiple chronic pain conditions and pain-free individuals.

Multisensory sensitivity (MSS) to nonpainful stimuli has been identified as a risk factor for the presence of coexisting chronic pain conditions. However, it remains unclear whether MSS can differentiate pain phenotypes involving different levels of central sensitivity. Both pain-free and those with chronic pain, particularly fibromyalgia (FM), migraine, or low back pain (LBP) were recruited, with pain comorbidities assessed. MSS was highest in FM, followed by migraine, then LBP, and lowest in pain-free individuals (adjusted between condition Cohen d = 0.32-1.2, P ≤ 0.0007). However, when secondly grouping patients by the total number of pain comorbidities reported, those with a single pain condition (but not FM) did not have significantly elevated MSS vs pain-free individuals (adj d= 0.17, P = 0.18). Elevated MSS scores produced increased odds of having 2 or more pain comorbidities; OR [95% CI] =2.0 [1.15, 3.42], without, and 5.6 [2.74, 11.28], with FM ( P ≤ 0.0001). Furthermore, those with low MSS levels were 55% to 87% less likely to have ≥ 2 pain comorbidities with or without FM (OR 0.45 [0.22, 0.88]-0.13 [0.05, 0.39]; P ≤ 0.0001). Our findings support that MSS can differentiate between pain phenotypes with different degrees of expected central mechanism involvement and also serve as a risk and resilience marker for total coexisting chronic pain conditions. This supports the use of MSS as a marker of heightened central nervous system processing and thus may serve as a clinically feasible assessment to better profile pain phenotypes with the goal of improving personalized treatment.

Sex Differences in Migraine: A Twin Study.

Migraine is a neurological disorder with a prominent sex difference such that two thirds of sufferers are female. The mechanisms behind the preponderance of migraine in women have yet to be elucidated. With data on 51,872 participants from the Swedish Twin Registry, we report results from two distinct analyses intended to clarify the degree to which genetic and environmental factors contribute to sex differences in migraine. First, we fit a sex-limitation model to determine if quantitative genetic differences (i.e., is migraine equally heritable across men and women) and/or qualitative genetic differences (i.e., are different genes involved in migraine across men and women) were present. Next, we used a multilevel logistic regression model to compare the prevalence of migraine in individuals from opposite-sex and same-sex twin pairs to determine whether differences in the prenatal hormone environment contribute to migraine risk. In the final analytic sample, women were found to have a significantly higher rate of migraine without aura relative to men (17.6% vs. 5.5%). The results from an ADE sex-limitation model indicate that migraine is equally heritable in men and women, with a broad sense heritability of 0.45, (95% CI = 0.40–0.50), while results from a reduced AE sex-limitation model provide subtle evidence for differences in the genes underlying migraine across men and women. The logistic regression analysis revealed a significant increase in migraine risk for females with a male co-twin relative to females with a female co-twin (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.26–1.81). These results suggest that the prominent sex difference in migraine prevalence is not entirely accounted for by genetic factors, while demonstrating that masculinization of the prenatal environment may increase migraine risk for females. This effect points to a potential prenatal neuroendocrine factor in the development of migraine.

Gender Minority Stress, Psychiatric Comorbidities, and the Experience of Migraine in Transgender and Gender-Diverse Individuals: a Narrative Review.

This review aims to discuss the experience of migraine in transgender and gender-diverse individuals as it relates to other psychiatric comorbidities such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and others. As this population faces stigma and discrimination, literature posits that gender minority stress can also contribute to the experience of pain in these individuals. Though there is little explicit data on these topics, more recent studies have explored the concept of gender minority stress and how stigma and discrimination can affect health outcomes and overall perception of health. These findings, as well as data on psychiatric comorbidities in cisgender individuals with migraine, can be extrapolated to understand how gender minority individuals may experience migraine. Research has demonstrated that stigma and discrimination can affect health outcomes in the transgender and gender-diverse community. A recent study has shown that sexual minority stress associated with stigma, discrimination, and barriers to care can exacerbate migraine. It is known that psychiatric comorbidities such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD can affect migraine frequency and severity in cisgender individuals. Though there are no specific studies in the transgender and gender-diverse patient population, these highly prevalent mental health conditions could potentially contribute to their migraine experience. Hormones, as well, may affect mood in those on gender-affirming hormone therapy, with some studies exploring how this may have both a direct and indirect relationship with migraine. There are clear knowledge gaps that can be addressed by future research in these areas to better understand the migraine experience in transgender and gender-diverse individuals and improve overall care.

Bidirectional association between migraine and depression among probands and unaffected siblings: A nationwide population-based study

Background: Evidence suggests a bidirectional association between migraine and depression in individuals and in twins. However, whether a bidirectional association between migraine and depression also occurs among siblings (probands and unaffected nontwin siblings) remains unknown.Methods: Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, we examined the data of 1504 probands with migraine, 1595 unaffected siblings, and 6380 nonmigrainous controls born before 2000 to identify new-onset depression for the period between 1996 and 2011. Conversely, 31824 probands with depression, 34325 unaffected siblings, and 137300 nondepressive controls were examined for the identification of new-onset migraine.Results: Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that compared with the controls, patients with migraine (odds ratio [OR]: 4.09; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.75–4.46) and unaffected siblings (OR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.24–1.58) were more likely to develop depression during the follow-up period. Moreover, patients with depression and unaffected siblings had a 4.13-fold (95% CI: 3.18–5.36) and 1.45-fold (95% CI: 1.03–2.05) increased risk of migraine.Discussion: The bidirectional association between migraine and depression among probands and unaffected siblings suggests a familial coaggregation of these two conditions. Additional studies are required to investigate the genetic and environmental etiologies for this coaggregation.

Association of the cyclooxygenase-2 1759A allele with migraine in Chinese Han individuals.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is known to be involved in the pathogenesis of migraine, and some polymorphisms are known to affect the expression of COX-2. This retrospective case-control study aimed to explore the associations between the -765 G>C (rs20417), -1759 G>A (rs3218625), and -8473 C>T (rs5275) COX-2 polymorphisms and migraine in Chinese Han individuals. One hundred and ten unrelated Han Chinese patients with migraine and 108 healthy controls were recruited between 03/2014 and 08/2016 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and the First People's Hospital of Lianyungang City. The genotypes of all polymorphisms in controls followed the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P = 0.215, P = 0.884, and P = 0.689). There were differences in the genotype and allele distributions of the COX-2-1759G>A (Gly587Arg) polymorphism between the migraine and control groups (P = 0.038 and P = 0.040, respectively). Compared with the COX-2-1759AG genotype, GG genotype carriers had an increased risk of migraine (odds ratio (OR) = 8.720, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.072–70.960, P = 0.038). The frequency of the COX-2-1759A allele in patients with migraine was significantly lower than the controls (OR = 0.119, 95%CI: 0.015–0.957, P = 0.040). Adjusted age and sex, a statistical difference was found in the dominant model of COX-2-1759 G>A (OR = 0.118, 95% CI 0.014 to 0.962, P = 0.046). No significant difference was detected regarding the -765G>C and -8473T>C polymorphisms between the two groups. The COX-2 1759A allele might be involved in the development of migraine in Chinese Han individuals, but this will have to be confirmed in large-scale studies.

Burden of Illness Among People with Migraine and ≥ 4 Monthly Headache Days While Using Acute and/or Preventive Prescription Medications for Migraine.

Migraine is a chronic disease that reduces health-related quality of life. Little is known about the burden of migraine in individuals who are potential candidates for preventive treatment with ≥ 4 monthly headache days currently using migraine medications. To characterize the burden of migraine among patients reporting ≥ 4 monthly headache days while taking acute and/or preventive migraine medications. In this retrospective, cross-sectional study, data from the 2016 U.S. National Health and Wellness Survey (N = 97,503) compared the burden of migraine among individuals self-reporting a diagnosis of migraine by a health care professional and ≥ 4 monthly headache days while using acute and/or preventive prescription migraine medications to matched nonmigraine controls. Propensity score matching across different variables (e.g., age, gender, and body mass index) was used to identify matched controls from respondents who did not self-report a diagnosis of migraine. Migraine-associated burden was measured by impairment in work productivity and daily activities (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire), all-cause health care resource utilization (HRU), and all-cause direct and indirect costs. This analysis included 197 treated migraine patients with ≥ 4 monthly headache days and 197 matched nonmigraine controls. Greater proportions of treated migraine patients reported comorbid depression (58.4% vs. 27.9%, P < 0.001) or generalized anxiety disorder (15.2% vs. 8.6%, P = 0.043) and were on long-term disability (13.7% vs. 5.6%, P = 0.003). Absenteeism (11.8% vs. 6.3%, P = 0.030); presenteeism (36.0% vs. 17.5%, P < 0.001); overall work impairment (41.0% vs. 20.9%, P < 0.001); and activity impairment (45.4% vs. 25.4%, P < 0.001) were greater in treated migraine patients versus nonmigraine controls. Treated migraine patients had higher all-cause HRU and higher all-cause direct ($24,499.90 vs. $15,318.91, P = 0.013) and indirect ($14,770.57 vs. $5,764.93, P < 0.001) costs than nonmigraine controls. Treated migraine patients with ≥ 4 monthly headache days reported significantly reduced work productivity and increased all-cause HRU and cost despite migraine treatment compared with nonmigraine controls. These findings highlight unmet needs in the treatment and management of migraine. This study was funded by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (Petach Tikva, Israel). Cohen is an employee of Teva Branded Pharmaceutical Products R&D (USA); Bell was an employee of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries at the time of this study and holds stock/stock options in Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. Lee is an employee of Kantar, which received funding from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries for data analyses performed for this study. Buse has served as a paid consultant to Amgen/Novartis, Allergan, Biohaven, Eli Lilly, Promius/Dr. Reddy's, and Teva Pharmaceuticals, but she was not compensated financially for work on this study. Yugrakh has received research support from Teva Pharmaceuticals and Cefaly Technology. Lipton has received research support from the NIH, the Migraine Research Foundation, and the National Headache Foundation; holds stock options in eNeura Therapeutics and Biohaven Holdings; serves as consultant, advisory board member, or has received honoraria from the American Academy of Neurology, Alder, Allergan, the American Headache Society, Amgen, Autonomic Technologies, Avanir, Biohaven, BioVision, Boston Scientific, Dr. Reddy's, electroCore, Eli Lilly, eNeura Therapeutics, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Pernix, Pfizer, Supernus, Teva, Trigemina, Vector, and Vedanta. This study was presented as a poster at the American Academy of Neurology 2018 Annual Meeting, April 21-27, 2018, in Los Angeles, CA; PAINWeek 2018, September 4-8, 2018, in Las Vegas, NV; and the 2017 European Headache Federation (EHF) Congress, December 1-3, 2017, in Rome, Italy.

Treatment of migraine in patients with CADASIL: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Migraine is a common and often refractory feature for individuals with cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) without consensus guidelines for treatment. Migraine treatment poses a theoretical risk within this unique population with precarious cerebrovascular autoregulation, given the vasomodulatory influence of many antimigraine medications. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we evaluate the frequency and efficacy of treatments for migraine in individuals with CADASIL. A search protocol was designed to include all available publications reporting antimigraine therapies for CADASIL. Individual responses to medications were categorized as unfavorable, neutral, or favorable. Responses across medication classes were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Thirteen studies were included, yielding a cohort of 123 individuals with a median age of 53 years (range: 23-83 years), with 61% (75/123) being women. No controlled trials were identified. Simple analgesics (35.8%, 44/123) and beta-blockers (22.0%, 27/123) were the most common abortive and prophylactic strategies, respectively. Over half (54.4%) of all patients had used more than 1 medication sequentially or concomitantly. Beta-blockers were significantly associated with a neutral or unfavorable response (13.5%, 22/163, p = 0.004). We found no significant associations among other medication categories. Migraine in CADASIL remains a formidable therapeutic challenge, with patients often tried on several medications. Antimigraine prophylaxis with beta-blockers may be contraindicated relative to other common therapies in CADASIL. Controlled studies are needed to rigorously evaluate the safety and efficacy of antimigraine therapies in this population.

Patients\u2019 perspective on the burden of migraine in Europe: a cross-sectional analysis of survey data in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom

BackgroundMigraine is a distinct neurological disease that imposes a significant burden on patients, society, and the healthcare system. This study aimed to characterize the incremental burden of migraine in individuals who suffer from ≥4 monthly headache days (MHDs) by examining health-related quality of life (HRQoL), impairments to work productivity and daily activities, and healthcare resource utilization (HRU) in the EU5 (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom).MethodsThis retrospective cross-sectional study used data from the 2016 National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS; N = 80,600). Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey, version 2 (SF-36v2) physical and mental component summary scores (PCS and MCS), Short-form-6D (SF-6D), and EuroQoL (EQ-5D), impairments to work productivity and daily activities (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI), and HRU were compared between migraine respondents suffering from ≥4 MHDs (n = 218) and non-migraine controls (n = 218) by propensity score matching using sociodemographic characteristics. Chi-square, T-tests, and Mann-Whitney tests were performed to determine significant differences between the groups after propensity score matching.ResultsHRQoL was lower in migraine individuals suffering from ≥4 MHDs compared with non-migraine controls, with reduced SF-36v2 PCS (46.00 vs 50.51) and MCS (37.69 vs 44.82), SF-6D health state utility score (0.62 vs 0.71), and EQ-5D score (0.68 vs 0.81) (for all, p < 0.001). Respondents with migraine suffering from ≥4 MHDs also reported higher levels of absenteeism from work (14.43% vs 9.46%; p = 0.001), presenteeism (35.52% vs 20.97%), overall work impairment (38.70% vs 23.27%), and activity impairment (44.17% vs 27.75%) than non-migraine controls (for all, p < 0.001). Additionally, HRU was significantly higher for individuals with ≥4 MHDs compared to their matched controls. Consistently, migraine subgroups (4–7 MHDs, 8–14 MHDs and CM) had lower HRQoL, greater overall work and activity impairment, and higher HRU compared to non-migraine controls.ConclusionsMigraine of ≥4 MHDs was associated with poorer HRQoL, greater work productivity loss, and higher HRU compared with non-migraine controls. The findings of the study suggest that an unmet need exists among individuals suffering from ≥4 MHDs in the EU5 suggesting the need for effective prophylactic treatments to lessen the humanistic and economic burden of migraine.

Restless legs syndrome is associated with increased risk of migraine

Migraine and restless legs syndrome (RLS) are common disorders that are associated with a high level of individual suffering and major comorbidities. The aetiologies of the disorders are largely unknown, although both migraine and RLS have been linked to disturbances in the dopaminergic system and sleep issues, suggesting a relationship between the disorders. This study examines the association between RLS and migraine in a large population of otherwise healthy adults who are not taking medication. Cross-sectional study that included 20,938 participants enrolled in the Danish Blood Donor Study from 1 May 2015 to 1 February 2017. The study included complete information on migraines, the Cambridge-Hopkins RLS questionnaire, the Major Depression Inventory Scale, sex, age, body mass index (BMI), educational level, smoking status and alcohol consumption. Associations between RLS and migraine, with and without aura, were examined using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Among the participants, 4827 were self-reported migraine sufferers and 1091 were classified as suffering from RLS. Individuals with RLS had an increased risk of migraine compared to non-RLS sufferers, with an odds ratio (OR) = 1.52 (95% confidence interval: 1.33–1.73). For the investigated subtypes of migraine, this association was found to be OR = 1.55 (1.31–1.83) for migraines with aura and OR = 1.29 (1.09–1.52) for migraines without aura. We found a significantly increased occurrence of migraine in individuals with RLS. This risk was independent of sex, age, BMI, educational level, smoking status, alcohol consumption and depressive disorder. Our findings suggest that RLS and migraine may have a common aetiology.

Body composition status and the risk of migraine

To evaluate the association between migraine and body composition status as estimated based on body mass index and WHO physical status categories. Systematic electronic database searches were conducted for relevant studies. Two independent reviewers performed data extraction and quality appraisal. Odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) were pooled using a random effects model. Significant values, weighted effect sizes, and tests of homogeneity of variance were calculated. A total of 12 studies, encompassing data from 288,981 unique participants, were included. The age- and sex-adjusted pooled risk of migraine in those with obesity was increased by 27% compared with those of normal weight (odds ratio [OR] 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16-1.37, p < 0.001) and remained increased after multivariate adjustments. Although the age- and sex-adjusted pooled migraine risk was increased in overweight individuals (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.04, 1.12, p < 0.001), significance was lost after multivariate adjustments. The age- and sex-adjusted pooled risk of migraine in underweight individuals was marginally increased by 13% compared with those of normal weight (OR 1.13; 95% CI 1.02, 1.24, p < 0.001) and remained increased after multivariate adjustments. The current body of evidence shows that the risk of migraine is increased in obese and underweight individuals. Studies are needed to confirm whether interventions that modify obesity status decrease the risk of migraine.

Chronic Migraine: An Update on Physiology, Imaging, and the Mechanism of Action of Two Available Pharmacologic Therapies.

Several lines of research support the hypothesis that migraine is a spectrum of illness, with clinical symptoms that vary along a continuum from episodic migraine to chronic migraine. Physiologic changes may result in episodic migraine evolving into chronic migraine over months to years in susceptible individuals. With chronification, headache frequency increases, becoming more disabling and less responsive to therapy. Neurophysiologic and functional imaging research has reported that chronic migraine may be associated with severity‐specific metabolic, functional, and structural abnormalities in the brainstem. Without longitudinal studies, it is unclear whether these changes may represent a continuum of individual progression and/or are reversible. Furthermore, chronic migraine is associated with larger impairments in cortical processing of sensory stimuli when compared with episodic migraine, possibly caused by more pronounced cortical hyperexcitability.Progressive changes in nociceptive thresholds and subsequent central sensitization due to recurrent migraine attacks in vulnerable individuals contribute to the chronic migraine state. This may result in changes to baseline neurologic function between headache attacks, evident in both electrophysiological and functional imaging research. Patients experiencing migraine chronification may report increased non‐headache pain, fatigue, psychiatric disorders (eg, depression, anxiety), gastrointestinal complaints, and other somatic conditions associated with their long‐term experience with migraine pain.Recent research provides a foundation for differentiating episodic and chronic migraine based on neurophysiologic and neuroimaging tools. In this literature review, we consider these findings in the context of models designed to explain the physiology and progression of episodic migraine into chronic migraine, and consider treatment of chronic migraine in susceptible individuals. Advances in pharmacotherapy provide treatment options for chronic migraine. Of the currently available treatment options, only onabotulinumtoxinA and topiramate have received regulatory approval and have demonstrated efficacy in patients with chronic migraine, although the exact mechanisms of action are not fully elucidated.

Diet and Headache: Part 1.

The role of diet in the management of the headache patient is a controversial topic in the headache field. To review the evidence supporting the hypothesis that specific foods or ingredients within foods and beverages trigger attacks of headache and/or migraine and to discuss the use of elimination diets in the prevention of headache disorders METHODS: This represents part 1 of a narrative review of the role of diet in the prevention of migraine and other headache disorders. A PubMed search was performed with the following search terms: "monosodium glutamate," "caffeine," "aspartame," "sucralose," "histamine intolerance syndrome," "tyramine," "alcohol," "chocolate," "nitrites," "IgG elimination diets," and "gluten." Each of these search terms was then cross-referenced with "headache" and "migraine" to identify relevant studies. Only studies that were written in English were included in this review. Caffeine withdrawal and administration of MSG (dissolved in liquid) has the strongest evidence for triggering attacks of headache as evidenced by multiple positive provocation studies. Aspartame has conflicting evidence with two positive and two negative provocation studies. Observational studies provide modest evidence that gluten- and histamine-containing foods as well as alcohol may precipitate headaches in subgroups of patients. Two of three randomized controlled trials reported that an elimination diet of IgG positive foods significantly decreased frequency of headache/migraine during the treatment as compared to baseline time period. Certain foods, beverages, and ingredients within foods may trigger attacks of headache and/or migraine in susceptible individuals. Elimination diets can prevent headaches in subgroups of persons with headache disorders.

Parental and comorbid migraine in individuals with bipolar disorder: A nationwide register study

BackgroundGenetic studies imply a shared genetic etiology between bipolar disorder (BD) and migraine. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated elevated comorbidity between these disorders, but haven't controlled for parental psychopathology. No previous nationally representative studies exist on familial clustering of BD and migraine. This study examines the association between parental and comorbid migraine and BD, controlling for potential confounders. MethodsWe identified 1861 cases aged ≤25 years, 3643 matched controls, and their parents from Finnish national registers. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and two-sided significance limits of p<0.05. ResultsParental migraine, controlling for parental BD, was associated with offspring BD diagnosed at age ≥18 years (OR 1.52, 95%CI: 1.08–2.14). Associations between BD and comorbid migraine persisted following adjustment for parental BD and parental migraine in all subjects (OR=2.46, 95% CI: 1.76–3.42), both age groups of BD-diagnosis (<18 years,≥18 years) and both sexes. LimitationsThe diagnoses were register-based, not directly ascertained. ConclusionsThis study indicates that parental migraine, even in the absence of parental BD, is a risk factor for offspring BD. Thus, a genetic link between BD and migraine could potentially explain some of the elevated comorbidity between these disorders. However, BD shows a stronger association with comorbid migraine than with parental migraine, suggesting that much of the elevated comorbidity is related to non-genetic factors. Increased understanding of mechanisms underlying the comorbidity of BD and migraine is important since it is associated with poorer health-related outcomes compared with BD alone.

Migraine in a pediatric population: a clinical study in children younger than 7 years of age.

Migraines in children younger than 7years of age have received limited attention in the published literature. The aim of this study is to describe the characteristics of migraine phenotypes in children younger than 7years, and to compare them with migraines in children older than 7years of age. We reviewed all standard clinical files, collected over 4years, related to children with a diagnosis of primary headache. We included all children younger than 7years diagnosed with migraine in our study. A total of 374 children (188 males, 186 females) were affected by migraine with/without aura: 40 of these patients (10.7%; 20 males, 20 females; mean age 5y 7mo, SD 1y 2mo) where younger than 7years old. The frequencies of the main migraine features in the younger age group were similar to those of children older than 7years, with the exception of a shorter duration of migraine and reduced frequency of attacks. In children younger than 7years of age, the clinical phenotype of migraine is similar to that seen in older children. We propose that there is a general genetic migraine susceptibility that, in the presence of activating environmental factors, may induce typical attacks of migraine in individuals already predisposed to migraine attacks. Therefore, different modules induce different clinical features within the different age groups, but there is no difference in the frequencies of clinical phenotypes between the two age groups.