| |
|
| This news site is not sanctioned by, nor part of, the Diamond Headache Foundation, The American Academy of Neurology OR The American Headache Society. |
| News covering selected sessions related to migraine from 2008 medical conferences. |
| Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology |
Chicago, IL April 15-18, 2008 |
|
|
|
| |
Survey Provides Insight to Frequency of
Migraine and Probably Migraine |
|
|
BY DON SCHRADER
Contributing Writer |
CHICAGO
(ECCC)— The proportion of headache patients with
probable migraine increases with age, suggesting the episodes
become less typical over time, Dr. Uri Napchan reported April 16
at the annual meeting of American Academy of Neurology.
A survey of 120,000 households in the United States showed that
the frequency of migraine and probable migraine reached a peak
between the ages of 30 and 39. Both conditions were considerably
less common in people younger than age 17 and in those older
than 60, said Dr. Napchan of Louisiana State University Health
Science Center in Shreveport.
The findings came from an investigation designed to assess the
relative frequency of migraine and possible migraine; the extent
of disability associated with the conditions; and the proportion
of individuals with high-frequency headache, which is defined as
having a headache for 10 to 14 days a month. Such information
can provide insight into the natural history of migraine and
probable migraine, said Dr. Napchan.
A headache questionnaire was mailed to a sample of U.S.
households, and completed surveys were returned by 162,576
individuals 12 years of age or older. Overall, 11.7% of
respondents met the Second International Classification of
Headache Disorders criteria for a migraine diagnosis, and 4.5%
met criteria for probable migraine.
The prevalence of migraine and probable migraine peaked at 19%
and 5.9%, respectively, in respondents who were ages 30 to 39.
By comparison, individuals who were younger than 17 had a
migraine prevalence of 6% and possible migraine prevalence of
2.5%. Patients older than 60 had prevalences of 4.42% for
migraine and 3.2% for probable migraine.
The ratio of probable migraine-to-migraine increased from 0.31
for survey participants ages 19 to 29 and ages 30 to 39 to 0.34
for participants ages 40 to 49, 0.43 for ages 50 to 59, and 0.73
for survey respondents 60 years of age or older.
The proportion of participants with frequent headache attacks
was stable across age groups for migraine but reached a peak in
participants younger than 18 before declining in older ages. The
frequency and magnitude of disability tended to decrease with
age for both migraine and probable migraine.
Putting the findings into context, Dr. Napchan pointed out that
the design of the study did not allow investigators to
incorporate migraine progression or remission into the results. |
| Copyright 2008 Elsevier Custom Conference Coverage. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. No responsibility is assumed by the Publisher for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, through negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein. Because of rapid advances in the medical sciences, the Publisher recommends that independent verification of diagnoses and drug dosages should be made. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the original authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Publisher, the sponsor, or the editors. Elsevier assumes no liability for any material published herein. |
|
|
|
