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Migraine and tension headache in high-pressure and normal-pressure glaucoma
C Cursiefen1, M Wisse, S Cursiefen
1Department of Ophthalmology and the Institute of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. claus.cursiefen@augen.med.uni-erlangen.de
Purpose:
To analyze the association of normal-pressure glaucoma and migraine.
Methods:
In a prospective study, 154 patients with glaucoma (56 normal-pressure subgroup and 98 high-pressure glaucoma subgroup), 55 patients with ocular hypertension, and 75 control subjects were analyzed by means of a standardized questionnaire based on International Headache Society criteria.
Results:
According to the questionnaire, 46 patients (17%) were classified as suffering from migraine and 20 (7%) from tension headache (episodic and chronic). The prevalence of headache, migraine, and tension headache did not vary significantly among control subjects, patients with ocular hypertension, and patients with glaucoma, but migraine was significantly more common in patients with normal-pressure glaucoma (28%) compared with control subjects (12%; P<.05) and patients with high-pressure glaucoma (10%; P<.01).
Conclusion:
The results suggest an association of normal-pressure glaucoma and migraine and a potential, common vascular etiology of both diseases.