Migraine epidemiology, comorbidities and therapeutic landscape: a national population-based study

Migraine is a leading cause of disability worldwide, yet national-level epidemiological data are often lacking, hindering public health planning. This study aimed to provide the first comprehensive, population-based assessment of migraine epidemiology, comorbidity burden, and preventive treatment patterns in Israel.

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using electronic health records from Clalit Health Services (CHS), which insures over 50% of the Israeli population. 4,614,331 adults were included in the analysis. Patients with migraine were identified between 2000 and 2023 using physician-recorded ICD-9 codes or dispensed triptan prescription. Patients with migraine were matched 1:2 with non-migraine controls to assess comorbidities. We calculated point prevalence, annual incidence, and analyzed the preventive treatment landscape before and after the introduction of calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP)-related migraine-specific preventive treatments.

The study included 356,441 patients with migraine and 4,257,890 controls. Migraine disproportionately affected females (75.8%) and younger adults (mean age 30.7 ± 13.2 years). Observed prevalence was lower than global estimates across most age strata. Incidence peaked among women aged 18-24 at 7.5 cases per 1,000 individuals. Patients with migraine carried a substantial comorbidity burden compared with age- and sex-matched controls. The highest adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were observed for chronic pain and psychiatric diseases (ORs for low back pain 2.67, fibromyalgia 2.42, endometriosis 1.86, anxiety 2.02, and depression 1.81). Vascular and metabolic conditions (hypertension, dyslipidemia, atrial fibrillation, and cerebrovascular disease) were more frequent, and stroke risk was significantly elevated. A negative association was found with diabetes. The proportion of patients who used preventive medication was low (9.6 and 8.8%, in 2018 and 2022 respectively) and did not increase after the introduction of migraine-specific treatments. Preventive use was most common in young adults (18-24 age group) and middle-aged adults (45-54 age group).

This large national population-based study reveals a high comorbidity burden among patients with migraine and suggests significant underdiagnosis compared to global benchmarks. The use of preventive treatment remained strikingly low, including novel migraine-specific therapies. These findings underscore the need for improved migraine recognition, integrated multidisciplinary care, and policy-level strategies to reduce the burden of this disabling condition.