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Biofeedback as Prophylaxis for Pediatric Migraine: A Meta-analysis
Anker Stubberud1, Emma Varkey2, Douglas C McCrory3
1Department of Neuroscience, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway;
Pediatrics
|July 28, 2016
Summary
Biofeedback effectively reduces migraine frequency, duration, and intensity in children and adolescents. Further research is recommended due to study limitations and the need for increased confidence in results.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatrics
- Behavioral Medicine
Background:
- Migraine is a prevalent neurological condition in children and adolescents.
- Existing prophylactic treatments for pediatric migraine are limited.
- Biofeedback offers a potential non-pharmacological intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the pooled evidence on the effectiveness of biofeedback for reducing childhood migraine.
- To assess the impact of biofeedback on migraine frequency, duration, and intensity in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Systematic search of multiple databases (Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, PsychINFO).
- Inclusion of prospective, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of biofeedback for pediatric migraine.
- Data extraction included attack frequency, secondary outcomes, and risk of bias assessment.
Main Results:
- Five studies with 137 participants met the inclusion criteria.
- Biofeedback significantly reduced migraine frequency (MD, -1.97), attack duration (MD, -3.94), and headache intensity (MD, -1.77) compared to a waiting-list control.
- No significant adjuvant effect or advantage over active treatments was observed; 40% of studies had low risk of bias.
Conclusions:
- Biofeedback demonstrates efficacy in reducing migraine symptoms in children and adolescents.
- Methodological limitations, including small study numbers and incomplete data reporting, necessitate cautious interpretation.
- Further high-quality research is required to confirm these findings and enhance confidence in biofeedback as a pediatric migraine intervention.
