Migraine is frequent in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a case-control study.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of primary headaches in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) versus healthy subjects, and to determine whether headaches in SLE are associated with MRI- or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) abnormalities.


METHODS
The case-control study included MRI- and CSF investigations. Headache was classified according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders. Depression and fatigue were measured with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) respectively.


RESULTS
Twenty-four out of 67 SLE patients and 13 out of 67 age- and gender matched healthy subjects had migraine (36% vs 19%, P = 0.03). Nine (13%) SLE patients had migraine with aura vs 4 (6%) in healthy subjects, P = 0.14. The prevalence of tension type headache was equal (60% in patients vs 58% in controls). There was no association between migraine and SLE disease activity, biochemical or immunological markers, cerebral white matter hyperintensities, interleukin-6 in CSF, impairment of the blood-brain barrier, or intrathecal immunoglobulin production. SLE patients had higher BDI- and FSS scores compared with healthy control subjects, and SLE patients with migraine had higher BDI scores than lupus patients without migraine.


CONCLUSIONS
Migraine is more prevalent in SLE patients, associated with depression like in the general population, but not associated with disease activity or abnormalities detected on cerebral MRI, in CSF, or any SLE characteristics except from SLE photosensitivity. The inclusion of the migraine item in SLE disease activity instruments remains questionable.
Tjensvoll
Anne B
AB
Department of Neurology, Stavanger University Hospital, Norway. tjab@sus.no
Harboe
Erna
E
Gøransson
Lasse G
LG
Beyer
Mona K
MK
Greve
Ole J
OJ
Herigstad
Anita
A
Kvaløy
Jan T
JT
Omdal
Roald
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult