title: Chronic migraine: classification and comparisons.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of our study was to field test different chronic migraine (CM) criteria and compare CM epidemiological profiles, which include demographic, personal, and lifestyle characteristics, with high-frequency episodic migraine (HFEM) and low-frequency episodic migraine (LFEM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of 18,000 18-65-year-olds in demographically diverse regions of Germany. The epidemiological data for the three classifications of CM, LFEM and HFEM were assessed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Chi-square, and analysis of variance tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 9350 respondents, CM_I was the most restrictive (N = 37, 0.4%), followed by CM_II (N = 45, 0.5%) and CM_III (N = 185, 2.0%). CM groups did not differ in distribution by age, gender, body mass index, education or smoking and alcohol consumption. Compared to those with LFEM and HFEM, those with CM (CM_III) had significantly different epidemiological profiles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CM prevalence varies by case definition. The epidemiological profiles of the three CM groups are similar but differ significantly from those of HFEM and LFEM. Optimal definitions for clinical practice and epidemiological research require additional field testing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, Essen, Germany. Zaza.Katsarava@uk-essen.de
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Katsarava
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manack
authors.forename: M-S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Obermann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dommes
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Turkel
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Lipton
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Diener
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult