title: Women with endometriosis are more likely to suffer from migraines: a population-based study.
abstract: Previous research suggests that a co-morbid relationship exists between migraine and endometriosis; however, results have been inconsistent. In addition, female hormones, which are important in the pathogenesis and management of endometriosis, have been reported to precipitate migraine attacks and may confound the results. The aim of this population-based cohort study was to explore the relationship between migraine and endometriosis in women of reproductive age (18-51 years). Data were derived from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan, which contains outpatient and inpatient records from 2000 to 2007. Our study cohort included 20,220 endometriosis patients and 263,767 controls without endometriosis. We analyzed the prevalence of migraine in these women as recorded during the eight years of the database. Our results found that patients with endometriosis were more likely to suffer migraine headaches compared to controls (odds ratio [OR], 1.70; 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.59, 1.82]; p<0.001). In addition, the co-morbid association between migraine and endometriosis remained significant after the data were controlled for age and frequently utilized hormone therapies (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, [1.27, 1.47]; p<0.001). The results of this cohort study support the existence of a co-morbid relationship between migraine and endometriosis, even after adjusting for the possible effects of female hormone therapies on migraine attacks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Meng-Han
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Peng-Hui
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shuu-Jiun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei-Zen
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yen-Jen
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Oyang
authors.forename: Jong-Ling
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Fuh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology