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Phobias, other psychiatric comorbidities and chronic migraine
Felipe Corchs1, Juliane P P Mercante, Vera Z Guendler
1Instituto Israelita de Ensino e Pesquisa Albert Einstein, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Background:
Comorbidity of chronic migraine (CM) with psychiatric disorders, mostly anxiety and mood disorders, is a well-recognized phenomenon. Phobias are one of the most common anxiety disorders in the general population. Phobias are more common in migraineurs than non-migraineurs. The clinical profile of phobias in CM has never been studied.
Method:
We investigated the psychiatric profile in 56 patients with CM using the SCID I/P interview.
Results:
Lifetime criteria for at least one mental disorder was found in 87.5% of the sample; 75% met criteria for at least one lifetime anxiety disorder and 60.7% of our sample fulfilled DSM-IV criteria for lifetime phobic avoidant disorders. Mood and anxiety scores were higher in phobic patients than in non-phobic CM controls. Number of phobias correlated with higher levels of anxiety and depression.
Conclusion:
Phobias are common in CM. Its recognition may influence its management. Early treatment may lead to better prognosis.
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