Is migraine in unipolar depressed patients a bipolar spectrum trait?
BACKGROUND
It is well known that affective disorders and migraine often coexist in the same patients, and some information is available indicating that migraine is particularly prevalent in bipolar II disorder. The aims of this study were to compare the clinical features in unipolar depressed patients with and without comorbid migraine to bipolar patients.


METHODS
Semi-structured interview of 201 patients with major affective disorders, using DSM-IV criteria for affective disorders combined with Akiskal's criteria for affective temperaments, and IHS-criteria for migraine.


RESULTS
Compared to the group of patients having unipolar depressions without comorbid migraine (n = 51) the group with unipolar depression and migraine (n = 63) had a higher number of depressive episodes (4.5 vs. 2.5, P = 0.017), significantly higher prevalences of affective temperaments (46% vs. 16%, P = 0.001), irritability (70% vs. 45%, P = 0.008), seasonal variation (22% vs. 5%, P = 0.017), agoraphobia (44% vs. 26%, P = 0.036), asthma (25% vs. 6%, P = 0.006) and migraine in family (59% vs. 29%, P = 0.002). The clinical features of unipolar depressed patients with comorbid migraine resemble the bipolar II patients (n = 51) in this sample.


CONCLUSIONS
Non-blind, cross-sectional assessment.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that there may be important clinical differences between unipolar depressed patients with and without comorbid migraine, possibly indicating that migraine in depressed patients is a bipolar spectrum trait.
Oedegaard
Ketil Joachim
KJ
Department of Psychiatry, Haukeland Hospital, University of Bergen, N-5021 Bergen, Norway. keti@haukeland.no
Fasmer
Ole Bernt
OB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D010343:Patient Admission; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D013694:Temperament