title: Chronic migraine does not increase posterior circulation territory (PCT) infarct-like lesions.
abstract: Two population-based studies have found an increased prevalence of posterior circulation territory (PCT) infarct-like lesions in migraine, which seemed to increase with attack frequency.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether chronic migraine (CM) patients are at increased risk of PCT infarct-like lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively obtained brain MRIs from adult women fulfilling CM criteria. To keep radiologists blinded we also obtained brain MRIs in 15 episodic migraine (EM) patients. MRIs were acquired on a 1.5 T unit. Protocol included whole brain weighted images in sagittal T1 (5 mm slices), axial FLAIR T2 (3 mm) and combined proton density and T2 fast spin echo (3 mm). Two independent neuroradiologists carefully analyzed all the images.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred women with CM participated. Their ages ranged from 18 to 68 years (mean 43.7) and the length of CM ranged from 0.5 to 38 years (mean 9.8). Sixty-three patients (63%) had at least one vascular risk factor. Thirty-three met analgesic overuse criteria. Fifty-one had a history of migraine with aura attacks, though aura frequency was below one per month in all patients except one. Eleven were not on preventatives. We found PCT infarct-like lesions in only 6 CM patients aged 42-64 years (mean age 54 years) who had at least two vascular risk factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As frequency of PCT infarct-like lesions in our CM patients was in the low range than that found for EM in general population studies, we conclude that frequency of migraine attacks itself is not a factor increasing PCT infarct-like lesion risk.
authors.affiliation: Service of Radiology, University Hospital Central de Asturias and Ineuropa, Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Santamarta
authors.affiliation: Service of Radiology, University Hospital Central de Asturias and Ineuropa, Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meilán
authors.affiliation: Service of Radiology, University Hospital Central de Asturias and Ineuropa, Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saiz
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Area, Service of Neurology, University Hospital Central de Asturias and Ineuropa, Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: Davinia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Larrosa
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Area, Service of Neurology, University Hospital Central de Asturias and Ineuropa, Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cernuda-Morollón
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Area, Service of Neurology, University Hospital Central de Asturias and Ineuropa, Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Calleja
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Area, Service of Neurology, University Hospital Central de Asturias and Ineuropa, Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benavente
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Area, Service of Neurology, University Hospital Central de Asturias and Ineuropa, Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: Germán
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morís
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Area, Service of Neurology, University Hospital Central de Asturias and Ineuropa, Oviedo, Spain. Electronic address: juliopascual@telefonica.net.
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pascual
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Brain MRI; Chronic migraine; Episodic migraine; Migraine; Migraine with aura; Migraine without aura; Stroke