title: Migraineurs show a high prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been observed that migraineurs show a higher risk of thrombosis and that the most frequent symptom reported by patients with antiphospholipid syndrome is headache, especially migraine.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our research was to evaluate the prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in a random cohort of migraineurs.
  
  
  METHODS
  This analytic, comparative case study was performed to evaluate the prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies by comparing a population of migraineurs with and without aura with sex- and age-matched controls. Both the diagnosis of migraine and the laboratory diagnosis of aPL positivity were made on the basis of the most recent international guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between September 2008 and August 2009, we recruited 284 consecutive patients (225 women and 59 men, 203 without aura and 81 with aura) and 225 controls (174 women and 51 men). Positivity for at least one test for aPL (LAC, ACA IgG or antiß2GLP1 IgG) was detected and confirmed in 12% (n = 33) of patients and in 3% (n = 7) of controls (odds ratio, 4.08; confidence interval, 1.77-9:39; P = 0.0004). Two of the patients had triple positivity for aPL (LAC, ACA and antiß2GLP1) and one had double positivity (LAC and antiß2GLP1); none of the controls showed multiple positivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data show that migraineurs have a significantly higher prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies, and point towards the fact that the two conditions may be comorbid or even that migraine may be an early sign for identifying patients with aPL positivity.
authors.affiliation: S. Lazzaro Hospital, Headache Center, Alba, Turin, Italy. cicaves@alice.it
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cavestro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Micca
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Molinari
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bazzan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: DI Pietrantonj
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aloi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pedemonte
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iannini
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Frigeri
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roccatello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D020325:Migraine with Aura / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D020326:Migraine without Aura / Q000276:immunology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid