Helicobacter pylori infection in migraine headache: a true association or an innocent bystander?

Abstract

Objective:

Much concern was directed towards the relationship between migraine and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Some researchers reported a strong association. Meanwhile, others have indicated totally negative results. The aim of this work was to clarify the association between migraine headaches and both H. pylori infection and Gastrointestinal (GIT) symptoms and to study their impact on the frequency and severity of migraine headache attacks.

Methods:

This is a case control study conducted on 77 migraine patients and 77 healthy controls. History was taken from the included patients regarding the frequency of migraine headache attacks/month and GIT symptoms including dyspepsia, flatulence, weight loss, and epigastric pain. Migraine Disability Assessment Test (MIDAS) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were used for assessment of migraine severity. Helicobacter pylori was detected in the stool of the included patients and controls.

Results:

There was a significantly higher prevalence of infection with H. pylori in migraine patients [77.9% (n = 60)] than control group [50.6% (n = 39)] (P-value˂ 0.001, Odds ratio= 3.439, 95% CI =1.708 − 6.923). The prevalence of dyspepsia, flatulence, and epigastric pain. was significantly higher in migraine patients in comparison to control group (P-value= 0.003, 0.017, 0.006 respectively). There was no effect of infection with H. pylori or presence of GIT symptoms on frequency of migraine attacks, MIDAS or VAS scores.

Conclusions:

GIT symptoms and H. pylori infection are more prevalent in patients with migraine compared to controls, however, they might not have an impact on the frequency or severity of migraine headache attacks.

Keywords:

• Migraine
• H. pylori
• GIT symptoms
• MIDAS
• VAS

Acknowledgements

Not applicable.

Authors’ contribution

AH participated in study design, collection and analysis of data and helped to draft manuscript. DM participated in study design, performed the laboratory work and helped to draft manuscript. HG participated in collection and analysis of data and helped to draft manuscript. MA participated in collection and analysis of data and helped to draft manuscript. HA participated in collection and analysis of data and helped to draft manuscript. YK participated in study design and helped to draft manuscript. MH participated in study design, collection and analysis of data and helped to draft manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Availability of data and materials

Authors report that the datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

A written informed consent was obtained from each participant in this study. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and it was approved by local ethical committee in Faculty of medicine, Beni-Suef University.

Funding

Authors did not receive any funding for this work.