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Stroke in patients with migraine
Affiliations- Clinical Department of Neurology, Voivodeship Hospital in Olsztyn
- Biostatistical Unit, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
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Abstract
Migraine with aura (MA) is considered as a risk factor for ischaemic stroke. The present observational retrospective study compares migraine patients admitted for a documented stroke with those presenting focal neurological symptoms and headache without a demonstrable lesion and in which the final diagnosis was a migraine attack with aura.
Material and methodsThe study included 14 migraine patients with a stroke and 37 without a stroke. The clinical characteristics, the vascular risk factors and the results of the technical examinations were compared.
ResultsStroke occurred in migraine patients with aura as well as without aura. Classical vascular risk factors were rather rare. Patent foramen ovale (PFO) with or without atrial septum aneurysm appeared to be the main risk factor for stroke in patients with a history of migraine. Infarcts were mainly located in the supratentorial territory of the posterior cerebral circulation. Also some lobar haematomas were observed, but their aetiology remained uncertain. The strokes were generally mildly severe with good outcome. Hyperintense signals in the cerebral white matter and cerebellum, on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, were more frequent in the migraine patients with stroke.
ConclusionsThe presence of PFO, rather than of MA, appeared to be the main risk factor for stroke patients with migraine. No direct relation between migraine and stroke could be demonstrated.
Abstract
Migraine with aura (MA) is considered as a risk factor for ischaemic stroke. The present observational retrospective study compares migraine patients admitted for a documented stroke with those presenting focal neurological symptoms and headache without a demonstrable lesion and in which the final diagnosis was a migraine attack with aura.
Material and methodsThe study included 14 migraine patients with a stroke and 37 without a stroke. The clinical characteristics, the vascular risk factors and the results of the technical examinations were compared.
ResultsStroke occurred in migraine patients with aura as well as without aura. Classical vascular risk factors were rather rare. Patent foramen ovale (PFO) with or without atrial septum aneurysm appeared to be the main risk factor for stroke in patients with a history of migraine. Infarcts were mainly located in the supratentorial territory of the posterior cerebral circulation. Also some lobar haematomas were observed, but their aetiology remained uncertain. The strokes were generally mildly severe with good outcome. Hyperintense signals in the cerebral white matter and cerebellum, on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, were more frequent in the migraine patients with stroke.
ConclusionsThe presence of PFO, rather than of MA, appeared to be the main risk factor for stroke patients with migraine. No direct relation between migraine and stroke could be demonstrated.
Keywords
migraine with aura, migraine without aura, posterior circulation infarct, lobar haematoma, patent foramen ovale, cerebral white matter changes
About this articleTitle
Stroke in patients with migraine
Journal
Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska
Issue
Pages
118-122
Page views
210
Article views/downloads
281
DOI
10.1016/S0028-3843(14)60002-5
Bibliographic record
Neurol Neurochir Pol 2010;44(2):118-122.
Keywords
migraine with aura
migraine without aura
posterior circulation infarct
lobar haematoma
patent foramen ovale
cerebral white matter changes
Authors
Jacques De Reuck
Koen Paemeleire
Georges Van Maele
