Migrainous cerebral infarction: case reports

Migraine is a common and chronic disorder. It is considered benign but several studies have suggested it as a rare risk factor for ischaemic stroke. The association is still conflicting and seems to be restricted to particular subgroups of patients (i.e., women under the age of 45, with migraine with aura, and particularly ones who smoke and use oral contraceptives). The pathogenetic mechanisms underlying this condition are not known. We describe 6 cases of migrainous stroke fully meeting the diagnostic criteria of the International Headache Society (IHS). For each patient, demographic and anamnestic data, clinical features, results of laboratory tests and neuroimaging findings were recorded. Five of the 6 cases were women (median age of 29, range from 23 to 40). The man was 36. All patients fulfilled the IHS criteria for migraine with aura. At the time of the event, 2 patients were taking oral contraceptives and smoked, one patient smoked and three patients had no vascular risk factors. The stroke manifested as homonymous hemianopia in 3 patients, lower homonymous quadrantopia in 1 patient and sensory symptom in 1 patient. The neurological examination was normal in 1 case. All patients underwent several tests with negative results: blood test (antithrombin III, protein C or S, autoantibodies), transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography, extracranial and intracranial Doppler sonography, and angiography which was not performed in 1 patient. All patients had a cerebral infarct visible on neuroimaging study (MRI): posterior cerebral artery in 4, middle cerebral artery in 1 and anterior cerebral artery in 1. We support the findings reported by others that migrainous stroke is more common in young women affected by migraine with aura. In consideration of the high prevalence of migraine in the population, further research is indicated and necessary to establish if migraine is independent from other vascular risk factors.