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Relationship between migraine and patent foramen ovale: a study of 121 patients with migraine

Izabela Domitrz1, Jerzy Mieszkowski, Anna Kamińska

  • 1Department of Neurology, Medical University, Warsaw, Poland.

Headache
|October 12, 2007
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

The study found a higher prevalence of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in patients with migraine with aura compared to those without aura or healthy controls. PFO was not associated with aura type or migraine attack frequency.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Cardiology

Background:

  • Migraine is a prevalent neurological disorder with unknown origins.
  • Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a potential contributing factor in migraine pathophysiology.
  • The link between PFO and migraine may be more pronounced in migraine with aura (MA).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the frequency of PFO in patients with MA.
  • To compare PFO prevalence in MA patients versus migraine without aura (MA-) and healthy controls.
  • To investigate associations between PFO and MA characteristics like aura type, attack frequency, family history, sex, and age.

Main Methods:

  • Contrast transcranial Doppler (c-TCD) with Valsalva maneuver was used to detect PFO.
  • 121 migraine patients (61 MA+, 60 MA-) and 65 healthy controls were enrolled.
  • MA patients were sub-categorized based on aura type.

Main Results:

  • PFO was detected in 54% of MA+ patients, versus 25% in MA- patients and 25% in controls.
  • The higher prevalence of PFO in MA+ patients compared to both MA- and control groups was statistically significant (P < .05).
  • No significant association was found between PFO and aura type, attack frequency, family history, sex, or age.

Conclusions:

  • Findings suggest a potential association between migraine with aura and PFO.
  • PFO does not appear to influence the type of aura or migraine attack frequency.
  • PFO is not associated with familial occurrence of migraine.

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