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Daily migraine with aura: a new migraine variant
1Department of Neurology, Rabin Medical Center, Petach-Tikva, Israel.
Abstract:
The frequency of migraine attacks is not used as a diagnostic criterion, however, it is a very important factor in the evaluation of migraine severity and its treatment. Several studies report the frequency of migraine attacks using the International Headache Society criteria. No investigator, however, has reported daily migraine attacks. In the current report, we present five patients whose headaches transformed from episodic migraine to daily migraine with aura. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of this variant of migraine. The symptoms in all the patients described comply strictly with the International Headache Society criteria for the diagnosis of migraine with typical aura. An interesting additional observation concerns the beneficial effect of phenytoin, a drug that has not proved to be effective in migraine but showed some efficacy in our patients.
Insights
This study describes a rare variant of migraine where episodic attacks transform into daily migraine with aura. Phenytoin showed potential efficacy in these patients, offering new treatment avenues.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Headache Medicine
Background:
- Migraine frequency is key for assessing severity and treatment, typically reported using International Headache Society criteria.
- Daily migraine attacks have not been previously documented in scientific literature.
Observation:
- This report details five patients experiencing a transformation from episodic migraine to daily migraine with aura.
- All patient symptoms strictly adhere to the International Headache Society diagnostic criteria for migraine with typical aura.
Findings:
- This is the first documented description of daily migraine with aura.
- Phenytoin, previously ineffective for migraine, demonstrated efficacy in these patients.
Implications:
- This finding expands the understanding of migraine variants and their clinical presentation.
- Phenytoin may represent a novel therapeutic option for this specific migraine subtype.