Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2025
Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy DISE with Target Controlled Infusion TCI and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Published on: December 6, 2016
Causal Association Between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Migraine: A Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study
Yu-Pei Wang1, Hui-Xia Wei2, Yuan-Yuan Hu3
1Department of Stomatology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, 442000, People's Republic of China.
Objective:
Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) frequently suffer from migraine, however the causal relationship between OSA and migraine is unknown. Investigating the causation will assist in understanding the etiology of OSA and migraine.
Methods:
Bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) and multivariable MR (MVMR) approaches were carried out to investigate the causal link between OSA and migraine. The public genome-wide association study (GWAS) data for OSA, migraine, and subtypes were obtained from the IUE open GWAS project and the FinnGen consortium. To investigate the causal links between OSA and migraine, inverse variance weighted (IVW) analysis was used in conjunction with four additional statistical approaches. Furthermore, sensitivity studies were performed using heterogeneity and pleiotropy tests to assess the estimation's robustness.
Results:
In general, our findings suggested that the OSA is causally associated with migraine with aura (MA, IVW: OR = 1.147; 95% CI = 1.016-1.295; P = 0.026), which was confirmed with the MVMR analysis further (OR = 1.184, 95% CI = 1.028-1.364, P = 0.020). In addition, increased risk of migraine and migraine without aura on OSA occurrence were identified in the reverse analysis, but these results were subsequently negated with MVMR analysis.
Conclusion:
According to the current findings, there was a preliminary causal effect of OSA on MA among European descendants.
Clinical Relevance:
These findings suggest a potential causal effect of OSA on migraine and provide new insights to prevent and manage the two disorders.
Insights
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may causally increase the risk of migraine with aura. This research provides new insights for preventing and managing both OSA and migraine.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Genetics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is frequently comorbid with migraine.
- The etiological relationship between OSA and migraine remains unclear.
- Understanding this relationship is crucial for developing effective treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential causal relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and migraine.
- To explore the directionality of this association using Mendelian randomization.
Main Methods:
- Bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) and multivariable MR (MVMR) were employed.
- Genome-wide association study (GWAS) data for OSA and migraine subtypes were analyzed.
- Inverse variance weighted (IVW) analysis and sensitivity tests were conducted.
Main Results:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) showed a causal association with migraine with aura (MA).
- Multivariable MR confirmed the causal effect of OSA on MA (OR = 1.184, P = 0.020).
- Reverse causality from migraine to OSA was not supported by MVMR analysis.
Conclusions:
- A preliminary causal effect of OSA on migraine with aura was identified in European descendants.
- These findings suggest OSA as a potential contributing factor to MA.
- The study offers new perspectives for the prevention and management of OSA and migraine.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Sleep-Wake Cycles
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
01:19Management of Insomnia
01:11Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...