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Closure of a Patent Foramen Ovale PFO: An Intervention Sequence
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No Relationship Between Patent Foramen Ovale and Migraine Frequency

Davinia Larrosa1, César Ramón2, Rocío Alvarez2

  • 1Service of Neurology, University Hospital "Central de Asturias" and INEUROPA, Oviedo, Spain. davinialc@gmail.com.

Headache
|September 17, 2016
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) presence and size did not differ between chronic and episodic migraine patients. These findings suggest no link between PFO and migraine frequency.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Cardiology
  • Medical Diagnostics

Background:

  • Migraine pathophysiology remains incompletely understood.
  • A potential link between patent foramen ovale (PFO) and migraine has been proposed, but data are conflicting.
  • Investigating the PFO-migraine relationship is crucial for understanding migraine etiology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between migraine frequency and the presence and degree of PFO.
  • To clarify the conflicting data regarding the causal relationship between PFO and migraine.

Main Methods:

  • A case-controlled study involving 130 chronic migraine (CM) and 53 episodic migraine (EM) patients.
  • Transcranial Doppler with agitated saline injection used to detect and quantify PFO.
  • PFO presence, degree (small, medium, large), and type (permanent, latent) were assessed.

Main Results:

  • PFO prevalence was similar in CM (53.1%) and EM (54.7%) patients.
  • PFO size was significantly larger in EM patients compared to CM patients (35.8% vs 20.3%).
  • Permanent PFO was significantly more frequent in EM patients (37.7%) than in CM patients (22.7%).

Conclusions:

  • This study found no evidence that PFO is more common or larger in chronic migraine patients compared to episodic migraine patients.
  • The results do not support a relationship between PFO and migraine frequency.
  • Further research may be needed to fully elucidate the complex interplay between PFO and different migraine types.
Keywords:
migrainepatent foramen ovaletranscranial Doppler sonography

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