Chronic migraine link to poor general health

People who suffer with chronic migraine are more likely to have poorer general health, be less well off and be more depressed than episodic sufferers, the results of a new study indicate.

Migraine currently affects around 400,000 people in Ireland. It is characterised by a severe, one-sided headache that can last up to three days. It can be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and/or noise.

US researchers looked at almost 12,000 adults with episodic or chronic migraine. Episodic was defined as having a severe headache for up to 14 days in a month, while chronic was defined as having a severe headache for 15 days or more per month.

Information on migraine, other health problems and socioeconomic factors was assessed.

The study found that those with chronic migraine had significantly lower levels of household income, were less likely to be working full-time, and were almost twice as likely to have a job-related disability compared to their peers with episodic migraine.

Those with chronic migraine were also twice as likely to be depressed, anxious, and have chronic pain issues.

Overall, they were significantly more likely to have other serious health problems, including asthma, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity.

They were also around 40% more likely to have heart disease and angina and 70% more likely to have had a stroke.

The researchers pointed out that chronic migraine ‘can be an especially disabling and burdensome condition’.

Previous research indicates that those affected have a relatively high level of sick leave, reduced productivity and poorer quality of family life than episodic sufferers.

Details of these findings are published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

[Posted: Thu 18/02/2010]