Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2026
04:33
Association Between Sleep Quality and Cognitive Symptoms in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder
Published on: April 26, 2024
Migraine diagnosis: screening items, instruments, and scales.
1Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan.
Summary
Accurate migraine diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment. This review examines validated instruments for diagnosing migraine, assessing comorbidities, and measuring disability and quality of life (QoL).
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Clinical Diagnostics
- Patient-Reported Outcomes
Background:
- Migraine is a prevalent and disabling neurological disorder affecting millions globally.
- Underdiagnosis is common in general practice due to unfamiliarity with diagnostic criteria, leading to suboptimal patient care.
- Validated instruments are essential for accurate diagnosis, identifying comorbidities, and quantifying migraine's impact on disability and quality of life (QoL).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and evaluate commonly used instruments for migraine diagnosis, assessment of comorbidities, and measurement of disability and QoL.
- To focus on the purpose, clinical applications, interpretation pitfalls, and minimally clinically important differences (MCID) of these instruments.
- To provide guidance for healthcare professionals on selecting and interpreting these tools in clinical practice and research.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on diagnostic and assessment instruments for migraine.
- Analysis of instruments based on their purpose, reliability, validity, and clinical application.
- Focus on tools used in daily practice and current research, including screening tests, comorbidity inventories, and QoL/disability scales.
Main Results:
- Structured intake forms and headache diaries are recommended for initial patient assessment.
- ID-Migraine is a validated screening tool for rapid migraine diagnosis in primary care.
- Instruments like VARS, BDI, PHQ-9, HADS, MIDAS, MSQ 2.1, EQ-5D, and SF-36 aid in diagnosing migraine with aura, assessing psychiatric comorbidities, and measuring disability and QoL.
Conclusions:
- Proper selection and interpretation of diagnostic and assessment instruments are critical for effective migraine management.
- These tools improve diagnostic accuracy, facilitate identification of associated psychological conditions, and quantify treatment outcomes.
- Utilizing validated instruments enhances patient care by ensuring appropriate treatment strategies and monitoring treatment effectiveness.
