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Migraine Changes with Age: IMPACT on Migraine Classification

Leslie Kelman

Headache The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 2006

141 citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To establish if criteria for the diagnosis of migraine change with age and to document the influence of age on the full spectrum of migraine features. Also to define the clinical spectrum and provide a prognostic profile of migraine stratified by age. BACKGROUND: Few studies have formally analyzed migraine characteristics stratified by age in a large cohort of patients. METHODS: One thousand nine consecutive patients meeting ICHD-2, 1.1, 1.2, and 1.5.1 at their initial office visit were studied. Patients were stratified by age into 3 groups: group I, 16 to 29, group II, 30 to 49, and group III, 50 years or older. Variables studied included gender, headache duration in years, prodrome, aura, postdrome, headache triggers, headache characteristics, associated symptoms, headache location, headache frequency, headache days, and disability. Ordinal variables were graded from 0 to 3 but only grades greater than grade 1 (more than occasional) were used in the study. RESULTS: A total of 86.3% patients were female and mean age was 37.7 years +/- 11.7 years (range 16 to 80), headache duration 15.0 years, and headache frequency 10 headaches per month. STUDY RESULTS: No significant age differences were seen in gender, or frequency of prodrome, aura, or postdrome. In patients with aura the percentage of headaches with aura significantly decreased with age. Headache triggers, in general, showed no age differences; specific triggers showed statistical differences: stress as a…

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Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence.

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