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Risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, coronary intervention, and atrial fibrillation or flutter in individuals experiencing typical migraine aura without headache: a Danish registry-based cohort study

E. Dudukina, Dávid Nagy, C. H. Fuglsang, E. Horváth-Puhó, Henrik Toft Sørensen, V. Ehrenstein, Flemming W. Bach, J. Vandenbroucke

International Journal of Epidemiology, 2025

1,000 participants

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Migraine aura without headache was previously described as a benign condition. We investigated an association between migraine aura without headache and risks of stroke, myocardial infarction (MI) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), atrial fibrillation or flutter, and composite outcome (MI, PCI, and CABG).

METHODS

We conducted a nationwide, registry-based cohort study in Denmark in 2003-18, which included 755 individuals with typical aura without headache, 11 420 individuals who experience migraine with aura, 13 415 individuals who experience migraine without aura, 12 000 individuals with unspecified migraine, and a comparison cohort of 702 755 individuals aged 15-80 years randomly sampled from the general population. We computed incidence rates (IRs) per 1000 person-years (PYs) of the outcomes and hazard ratios (aHRs) adjusted for age, sex, calendar year, and pre-existing chronic conditions in Cox proportional-hazards regression analyses.

RESULTS

The IR per 1000 PYs among individuals experiencing aura without headache were 4.58 (2.09-7.07) for stroke, 2.10 (0.42-3.79) for MI or PCI, 0.69 (0.00-1.66) for CABG, and 4.95 (2.35-7.54) for atrial fibrillation or flutter. Individuals who experience aura without headache versus the comparator had increased risks of stroke [aHR: 2.58, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.49-4.44] and atrial fibrillation or flutter (aHR: 2.22, 1.31-3.75). Associations with MI or PCI (aHR: 1.56,…

How strong is the evidence?

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. Reported size: 1,000 participants or records.

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