Risk Factors for the Comorbidity of Migraine and Epilepsy.
Abstract number :
2.143
Submission category :
Year :
2001
Submission ID :
618
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Published date :
Dec 1, 2001, 06:00 AM
Authors :
T. Leniger, MD, Neurology, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany; S. von den Driesch, Neurology, Univeristy Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany; K. Isbruch, Neurology, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany; H. Diener, MD, PhD, Neurology, Unive
RATIONALE: The nature of the comorbidity of migraine and epilepsy remains unclear. Aim of the prospective study was to investigate risk factors for a comorbidity of migraine and epilepsy. We compared the clinical features of patients with comorbidity to those of patients with epilepsy or migraine alone.
METHODS: Within a period of 15 months 280 patients with epilepsy, 248 patients with migraine, and 61 patients with a comorbidity of epilepsy and migraine were interviewed with a standardized questionnaire.
RESULTS: The proportion of females was significantly higher in patients with migraine and patients with comorbidity as compared to patients with epilepsy (p[lt] 0.001). When comparing patients with epilepsy and patients with comorbidity, two significant risk factors for comorbidity were found: there were a later onset of epilepsy (p[lt] 0.001) and febrile convulsions in childhood (p= 0.004). When comparing patients with migraine and patients with comorbidity, three significant risk factors for comorbidity were observed: a symptomatically induced migraine (p= 0.006), a slightly shorter duration of migraine attacks (p= 0.010), and a more severe pain intensity (p= 0.009). A positive family history of migraine was observed more frequently in patients with comorbidity as compared to patients with epilepsy (p= 0.022), and a positive family history of epilepsy was found more frequently in patients with comorbidity as compared to patients with migraine (p= 0.006).
CONCLUSIONS: The frequently observed phenomenon of comorbidity did not constitute one specific clinical risk profile. The patients with comorbidity present typical clinical features of both disorders. Comorbidity is to be coincidental with a positive family history of both disorders increasing the vulnerability for comorbidity.