title: Patent foramen ovale in children with migraine headaches.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in children with migraine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children aged 6.0 to 18.0 years with migraine headache were evaluated for PFO and right-to-left shunting with color-flow Doppler scanning, saline solution contrast transthoracic echocardiography, and contrast transcranial Doppler scanning.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The population consisted of 109 children with migraine; 38 (35%) with aura and 71 (65%) without aura. The overall PFO prevalence was 35%, similar to the general population (35% vs 25%; P = .13). However, compared with the general population (25%), the PFO prevalence was significantly greater in subjects with aura (50%, P = .0004) but similar in those without aura (27%, P = .73). Atrial shunt size was not associated with the presence or absence of aura.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with migraine with aura have a significantly higher prevalence of PFO compared with those without aura or the general population. These data suggest that PFO may contribute to the pathogenesis of migraine with aura in children and have implications for clinical decision making.
authors: Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Primary Children's Medical Center and the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. rachel.mccandless@hsc.utah.edu
authors: Rachel T
authors: RT
authors: McCandless
authors: Cammon B
authors: CB
authors: Arrington
authors: Douglas C
authors: DC
authors: Nielsen
authors: James F
authors: JF
authors: Bale
authors: L LuAnn
authors: LL
authors: Minich
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D054092:Foramen Ovale, Patent / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology