title: Epilepsy and migraine headache: is there a connection?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigated the prevalence of migraine headache in pediatric patients with epilepsy and the incidence of these two disorders in the family history.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review was conducted on 475 patients with a primary diagnosis of epilepsy between January 2003 and June 2004. The patients were managed in a pediatric neurology outpatient clinic at a major teaching hospital. Cases were selected using the ICD-9-CM definition for epilepsy. Data collected included age, sex, headache, migraine, and family history.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study revealed a higher prevalence of migraine in epilepsy patients (14.7%) than in the general population (2.7% to 11%). Only 4.7% had a family history of migraine, but 20.6% had a positive family history of epilepsy, supporting current ideas of the genetic etiology of some epilepsies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study specifically addressed epilepsy and migraine in children, but whenever a primary diagnosis is made, the potential for a coexisting disorder should be investigated.
authors: Arkansas Children's Hospital, 800 Marshall St, Slot #512-15, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA. stevensonsharon@uams.edu
authors: Sharon B
authors: SB
authors: Stevenson