A cross‐sectional, multicenter survey of the prevalence and influencing factors for migraine in epilepsy

Abstract

AbstractObjectivesEpilepsy and migraine are common chronic neurological disease. Epidemiologic studies and shared pathophysiology and treatment suggest that these two diseases overlap. However, migraine is often underestimated among patients with epilepsy. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of migraine and identify the related influencing factors among adult patients with epilepsy.MethodsAdult patients with epilepsy were recruited at the outpatient epilepsy clinic of 13 tertiary hospitals in China from February to September 2022. ID Migraine questionnaire was applied to evaluate for migraine. Both univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to explore the influencing factors of migraine.ResultsA total of 1326 patients with epilepsy were enrolled in this study. The prevalence of migraine among patients with epilepsy was 19.2% (254/1326). In the multivariable analysis, being female (OR = 1.451, 95% CI: 1.068–1.975; p = 0.018), focal and focal to bilateral tonic–clonic seizures (OR = 1.583, 95% CI: 1.090–2.281; p = 0.015), and current seizure attack in the last 3 months (OR = 1.967, 95% CI: 1.282–3.063; p = 0.002) were the influencing factors for migraine. However, <10% of patients with epilepsy received analgesics for migraine.SignificanceApproximately 20% of patients with epilepsy screened positive for migraine. Being female, focal and focal to bilateral tonic–clonic seizures, and current seizure attack in the last 3 months were the influencing factors for migraine. Neurologists should pay more attention to the screening and management of the migraine among patients with epilepsy in China.Plain Language SummaryEpilepsy and migraine are common chronic neurological disease with shared pathophysiological mechanisms and therapeutic options. However, migraine is often underestimated among patients with epilepsy. This multicenter study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of migraine and current status of treatment. In this study, approximately 20% of patients with epilepsy screened positive for migraine. Female, focal and focal to bilateral tonic–clonic seizures, and current seizure attack in the last 3 months were identified as independent influencing factors for migraine. Despite the high prevalence, the treatment for migraine was not optimistic, neurologists should pay more attention to the screening and management of migraine.