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Cerebrovascular risk factors and MRI abnormalities in migraine

Renata Rao1, Anna Rosati, Paolo Liberini

  • 1Department of Neurology, University of Study of Brescia, Piazzale Spedali Civili 1, 25123 Brescia, Italy. centrocefalee@spedalicivili.brescia.it

Neurological Sciences : Official Journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology
|July 17, 2008
PubMed

Insights

White matter lesions (WMLs) are common in migraine patients, but this study found no link between WMLs and common cerebrovascular disease risk factors. Migraineurs with brain lesions do not appear to have a higher risk of stroke.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Radiology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Case series indicate an increased incidence of white matter lesions (WMLs) in migraine patients.
  • The association between subclinical brain lesions and cerebrovascular disease risk remains controversial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between MRI-detected subclinical brain lesions (WMLs) and various cerebrovascular risk factors in migraine patients.
  • To determine if factors like hyperhomocysteinaemia, MTHFR genotype, patent foramen ovale, hypertension, smoking, and hypercholesterolaemia are associated with WMLs in migraineurs.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of MRI findings from 253 patients within a larger cohort of 1201 migraineurs.
  • Blind review of MRIs by a second neuroradiologist.
  • Matching of patients with WMLs (study group) to an equal number of individuals with normal MRIs (control group) based on age, sex, and headache diagnosis (ICHD II).

Main Results:

  • No statistically significant differences were found in the prevalence of considered cerebrovascular disease risk factors between patients with WMLs and the control group.
  • The study did not identify a relationship between the presence of WMLs and the evaluated cerebrovascular risk factors.

Conclusions:

  • Subclinical white matter lesions observed in migraine patients are not associated with the investigated cerebrovascular disease risk factors.
  • Further research may be needed to fully understand the implications of WMLs in migraineurs.

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