Comorbid conditions in Egyptian patients with migraine

ABSTRACT

Background

Identifying migraine comorbidities may guide prognosis and treatment options. This study aimed to assess the frequency of comorbid conditions among adults with migraine living in Greater Cairo.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, Egyptian migraine sufferers aged ≥ 18 years living in Greater Cairo were consecutively recruited (April 2019 – April 2021). Following The International Classification of Headache Disorders-third edition, diagnosis of migraine was confirmed, and the type of migraine was defined as whether episodic or chronic, with or without aura, with childhood/adolescence or adulthood onset. Specialist physicians from the research team assessed comorbid conditions among the respondents.

Results

The mean age of respondents (n = 1064) was 35 ± 7. Irritable bowel syndrome represented the most common comorbidity in our patients (45.5%), followed by vitamin D deficiency (41.8%). The frequency of epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and systemic lupus erythematosus was significantly higher in patients with chronic than episodic type (χ2 = 4.514, P = 0.034), (χ2 = 12.302, P = 0.001), (χ2 = 12.302, P = 0.001), (χ2 = 4.806, P 0.028), respectively. Females with menstrual migraines had a significantly higher frequency of generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, and restless leg syndrome than those with non-menstrual migraines (χ2 = 7.636, P 0.006), (χ2 = 9.245, P = 0.002), and (χ2 = 11.997, P = 0.001), respectively. The frequency of diabetes was significantly higher in patients with migraine with aura than in those without aura (χ2 = 4.248, P value 0.039).

Conclusion

This study provides a better understanding of the comorbidities in Egyptian patients with migraine and will provide new avenues for developing individualized therapy for migraine patients.

KEYWORDS:

• Comorbidities
• chronic migraine
• menstrual migraine
• migraine with aura
• migraine with childhood/adolescence onset

Abbreviations

BMI	=	Body mass index.
COPD	=	Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
DPS	=	Dopaminergic Premonitory Symptoms.
G6PD deficiency	=	Glucose-6Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency.
GAD	=	generalized anxiety disorder.
GBD	=	Global Burden of Disease.
HIV	=	human immunodeficiency virus.
IBD	=	Irritable bowel disease.
ICHD-3 beta	=	The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition- beta version.
OCD	=	obsessive compulsive disorder.
OSA	=	Obstructive sleep apnea.
PACs	=	premature atrial contractions.
PVCs	=	premature ventricular contractions.
RLS	=	Restless leg syndrome.
SD	=	standard deviation
SN	=	Substantia nigra.
SPSS	=	The statistical package for social science.
VAS	=	visual analogue scale.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the patients for their participation and cooperation in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Authors’ contributions

Data collection & patient recuitment: Rehab Magdy, Alshimaa S.Othman, Eman Hany Elsebaie, Radwa M. Elsayed, Walaa Abdelrahman, Suzan Shalaby,Mahmoud Saraya, Sara Abd El- Ghani, Younan Kabara Ayoub, Ahmed Elshall, Alaa Elmazny. Statistical analysis: Eman Hany Elsebaie Manuscript drafting: Rehab Magdy, Alshimaa S.Othman & Alaa Elmazny. Revision & approval of final manuscript: Rehab Magdy, Alshimaa S.Othman, Eman Hany Elsebaie, Radwa M. Elsayed, Walaa Abdelrahman, Suzan Shalaby,Mahmoud Saraya, Sara Abd El- Ghani, Younan Kabara Ayoub, Ahmed Elshall & Alaa Elmazny.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available (out of respect of patients’ privacy), but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

Authors did not receive any funding for this work.