Clinical profile of migraineurs in a referral centre in India

Migraine is one of the commonest of headache disorders presenting to neurologists the world over. Though the precise etiopathogenesis of migraine is still not completely understood, there are various studies speculating on the role of different genetic loci and various patterns of inheritance.

The present study was conducted to characterize the migraineurs presenting to a referral hospital in India and understand their possible modes of inheritance by clinical evaluation of family pedigree.

A questionnaire based, prospective study including consecutive patients was conducted in the department of Neurology at a tertiary referral center in India. All patients fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for migraine were enrolled and their characteristics noted. Other family members of those with a positive history of headache were also interviewed.

A total of 198 migraineurs were interviewed from March 2001 to July 2002. The proportion of female migraineurs was higher, comprising 72% of the study group, with an average age of onset of symptoms of 23.3 years. The characteristics of migraine noted revealed certain rare factors aggravating headache. A positive family history of headache was observed in 24.7% of probands with a possible maternal inheritance on clinical grounds in 29 of 41 families (70.7%).

This is an observational study from an Indian centre on the clinical characteristics of migraineurs in India. It revealed that migraineurs presented a relatively low frequency of family history of headache. Though a definite pattern of inheritance can't be commented on, majority with a positive family history of headache had a trend to possible maternal inheritance.