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Published on: June 2, 2014

Comorbidity in Finnish migraine families

Ville Artto1, Maija Wessman, Markku Nissilä

  • 1Department of Neurology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. ville.artto@hus.fi

The Journal of Headache and Pain
|October 24, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Migraine patients often experience comorbid conditions like hypotension, allergies, and psychiatric disorders. Specific migraine types, particularly in women and men with aura, show associations with other serious health issues.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Genetics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Migraine is a prevalent neurological disorder.
  • Understanding comorbid conditions associated with migraine is crucial for comprehensive patient care.
  • Familial aggregation of migraine suggests a genetic component.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the comorbidity of migraine within Finnish families.
  • To identify specific medical illnesses that co-occur with migraine.
  • To explore potential differences in comorbidity based on migraine type and demographics.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 1000 participants from the Finnish Migraine Gene Project.
  • Participants reported medical illnesses alongside migraine and headache history.
  • Statistical analyses, including odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI), were used to compare comorbidity rates.

Main Results:

  • Migraine patients (n=678) reported significantly higher rates of hypotension (OR 1.43), allergy (OR 1.83), and psychiatric disorders (OR 4.09) compared to non-migraine family members (n=322).
  • Subgroup analyses indicated that women and individuals with both migraine with and without aura had increased likelihood of additional disorders.
  • Male migraineurs with aura showed a significant association with stroke and epilepsy.

Conclusions:

  • Familial migraine is associated with comorbid hypotension, allergies, and psychiatric disorders.
  • The observed associations, especially between migraine with aura and stroke/epilepsy in men, require further investigation.
  • These findings have implications for clinical management, pathophysiological understanding, and genetic research in migraine.

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