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Sex Differences in the Prevalence, Symptoms, and Associated Features of Migraine, Probable Migraine and Other Severe H eadache: Results of the A merican Migraine Prevalence and Prevention ( AMPP ) Study

Dawn C. Buse, Elizabeth Loder, Jennifer A. Gorman, Walter F. Stewart, Michael L. Reed, Kristina M. Fanning, Daniel Serrano, Richard B. Lipton

Headache The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 2013

496 citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The strikingly higher prevalence of migraine in females compared with males is one of the hallmarks of migraine. A large global body of evidence exists on the sex differences in the prevalence of migraine with female to male ratios ranging from 2:1 to 3:1 and peaking in midlife. Some data are available on sex differences in associated symptoms, headache-related disability and impairment, and healthcare resource utilization in migraine. Few data are available on corresponding sex differences in probable migraine (PM) and other severe headache (ie, nonmigraine-spectrum severe headache). Gaining a clear understanding of sex differences in a range of severe headache disorders may help differentiate the range of headache types. Herein, we compare sexes on prevalence and a range of clinical variables for migraine, PM, and other severe headache in a large sample from the US population. METHODS: This study analyzed data from the 2004 American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention Study. Total and demographic-stratified sex-specific, prevalence estimates of headache subtypes (migraine, PM, and other severe headache) are reported. Log-binomial models are used to calculate sex-specific adjusted prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals for each across demographic strata. A smoothed sex prevalence ratio (female to male) figure is presented for migraine and PM. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-two thousand seven hundred fifty-six individuals aged 12 and older responded to the…

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