Increased prevalence of migraine in women with inflammatory bowel disease: a cross-sectional study

Background: Some studies have suggested an association between migraine and inflammatory bowel disease. We determined migraine prevalence in a cohort of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Methods: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease aged 18-65 years were interviewed using an ad hoc headache questionnaire. Those who admitted a history of headache in the last year answered the three questions of the ID-Migraine questionnaire. Those who answered "yes" to the three of them were classified as "definite" and those who answered "yes" to two were classified as "probable" migraine. Results: We interviewed 283 patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Of these, 176 (62.2%) had headache. Fifty-nine (20.8%; 95% CI 16.3-26.0%) met migraine criteria either definite (n=33; 11.7%; 95% CI 8.2-16.0%) or probable (n=26; 9.2%; 95% CI 6.1-13.2). When divided by gender, 12 men (9.6%; 95% CI 5.1-16.2%) and 47 women (29.8%; 95% CI 22.8-37.5%) met migraine criteria. The prevalence of migraine was increased in inflammatory bowel disease patients from the current cohort (20.8%) versus that reported for our general population for the same age group (12.6%; p<0.0001). These differences remained significant in female inflammatory bowel disease patients (29.8% versus 17.2% in our general population; p<0.0001), but not in males (9.6% in inflammatory bowel disease vs 8.0%; p=0.30). Seventeen patients with inflammatory bowel disease (6.0%; 95% CI 3.54-9.44%) fulfilled chronic migraine criteria. There were no differences in migraine prevalence by inflammatory bowel disease subtypes. Conclusion: Migraine prevalence, including chronic migraine, seems to be increased in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The fact that this association was stronger for women suggests an influence of sex-related factors.Funding: The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This study has been founded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCII) through the project PI20/01358 and cofunded by Fondos Europeos de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), “Una manera de hacer Europa”. Acknowledgments: We are very grateful to our IBD nurse Marıa Soledad Serrano for her continuous support

Prevalence of migraine in inflammatory bowel disease

Introducción: Se ha descrito una posible relación entre migraña y enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal (EII). Sin embargo, no hay resultados concluyentes sobre esta asociación. Objetivos: Determinar la prevalencia de migraña en una cohorte de pacientes con EII del Servicio de Digestivo del Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla (HUMV) a través de una encuesta ad hoc. Metodología: Estudio transversal prospectivo mediante encuesta en papel y telefónica de 355 pacientes con EII que acuden a consulta o forman parte de la base de datos del Servicio de Digestivo del HUMV. Resultados: De los pacientes con EII 187/355 (53%) eran mujeres, edad media 52 años, 170/355 (47,9%) colitis ulcerosa (CU), 169/355 (47,6%) enfermedad de Crohn (EC) y 16/355 (4,5%) enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal inclasificable (EII-i). La prevalencia de migraña probable (MP) es 7,3% y la de migraña definitiva (MD) 9,6% para ambos sexos. En total 60/355 pacientes cumplen al menos 2 criterios de migraña, por lo que la prevalencia de migraña total (MT) es 16,9% para ambos sexos (p=0,000 versus prevalencia de la MT en España). Por sexos, el 25,1% de mujeres y el 7,7% de hombres padece migraña, encontrando que la prevalencia de migraña en mujeres con EII está significativamente elevada versus la población general española (p=0,000). Por subtipo diagnóstico de EII, el 17,1% CU y el 15,9% EC padece migraña. La prevalencia global de migraña en los pacientes con edad entre 20 y 64 años es del 21,2% (30,5% en mujeres, 9,8% en varones). Conclusiones: Según nuestro estudio, la prevalencia de migraña en adultos con EII es mayor que la esperable en la población general, lo que podría explicarse por la relación entre estas entidades a través del eje intestino-cerebro. Este incremento de prevalencia fue significativo solo en el sexo femenino.Introduction: A potential relation between migraine and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been described. However, there are no definitive findings in regards to this association. Purpose: To determine the prevalence of headache and migraine in a cohort of patients with IBD from the Gastroenterology Department of Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital (HUMV) through an ad hoc survey. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study through paper and telephone surveys of 355 patients with IBD who attend the clinic or are part of the database of the Gastroenterology Department at HUMV. Results: Among patients with IBD, 187/355 (53%) were women, with a mean age of 52 years. 170/355 (47.9%) had ulcerative colitis (UC), 169/355 (47.6%) had Crohn's disease (CD), and 16/355 (4.5%) had inflammatory bowel disease unclassified (IBDU). The prevalence of probable migraine (PM) is 7.3%, and the prevalence of definite migraine (DM) is 9.6% for both sexes. A total of 60/355 patients meet at least 2 criteria for migraine, resulting in a total migraine prevalence of 16.9% for both sexes (p=0.000 versus general population in Spain). By gender, 25.1% of women and 7.7% of men suffer from migraine, indicating a significant increase in prevalence of migraine in women with IBD versus Spanish general population (p=0.000). Among the diagnostic subtypes of IBD, 17.1% of UC patients and 15.9% of CD patients experience migraine. The overall prevalence of migraine in patients between the ages of 20 and 64 is 21.2% (30.5% in women, 9.8% in men). Conclusions: According to our study, the prevalence of migraine in adults with IBD is higher than what is expected in the general population, which could be explained by the relationship between these conditions through the gut-brain axis. This increased prevalence was shown to be significant only in females.Grado en Medicin