title: Migraine with aura and reproductive life events: a case control study.
abstract: The course of migraine without aura (MO) is greatly influenced by the events of female reproductive life. Much less is known about migraine with aura (MA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between MA and the milestones of reproductive life. A retrospective case control study was carried out on 100 women affected by migraine with typical aura (cases) and 200 age-matched women with MO (controls). Premenstrual syndrome was found to be much more common among the patients with MA (odds ratio (OR) 6.0; confidence interval (CI) 3.1-11.6). Menstrually triggered migraine was more frequently encountered among MO than among MA patients (MA 15.0%; MO 53.5%; OR 0.1; CI 0.1-0.3). In both forms of migraine, pregnancy had a favourable effect; however, a lower percentage of MA (43.6%) than MO patients (76.8%; OR 0.2; CI 0.1-0.5) showed improvement or remission. The use of oral contraceptives worsened migraine in MA more frequently than in MO patients (MA 56.4%; MO 25.3%; OR 3.8; CI 1.6-9.3). The course of MA seems to be influenced by female reproductive life events, but in a different way with respect to MO.
authors.affiliation: University Centre for Adaptive Disorders and Headache (UCADH), Institute of Neurology, University of Parma, Italy. granella@unipr.it
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Granella
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sances
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pucci
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Nappi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ghiotto
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Napp
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology; D008598:Menstruation; D008875:Middle Aged; D020325:Migraine with Aura / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D003276:Contraceptives, Oral