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Updated: Aug 1, 2026

Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension and Assessment of Right Ventricular Function in the Piglet
Published on: November 4, 2015
Migraines linked to intrapulmonary right-to-left shunt
John Thenganatt1, Jacob Schneiderman, Robert H Hyland
1Division of Respirology, Department of Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, ON, Canada.
This study found a significant link between intrapulmonary right-to-left shunt and migraines in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia patients. This suggests pulmonary arteriovenous malformations may contribute to migraine development.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Genetics
Background:
- Previous research indicates a connection between migraines and intracardiac right-to-left shunts.
- Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a genetic disorder often associated with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between migraines and intrapulmonary right-to-left shunts.
- To determine if pulmonary AVMs are linked to migraine prevalence in HHT patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 200 HHT patients from the Toronto HHT Center.
- Systematic screening for migraines and pulmonary/cerebral AVMs.
- Logistic regression analysis to assess the association between pulmonary AVMs and migraine, adjusting for age and sex.
Main Results:
- Of 124 included HHT patients, 38% reported migraines, with 81% experiencing migraine with aura.
- Migraine prevalence was higher in patients with pulmonary AVMs (46%) versus those without (33%).
- Pulmonary AVMs showed a statistically significant association with migraine (OR = 2.4, P = .04) after adjustment.
Conclusions:
- A significant association exists between intrapulmonary right-to-left shunts and migraines.
- Pulmonary AVMs are a significant risk factor for migraines in HHT patients.
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