Association between patent foramen ovale and migraine without aura: a community-based cross-sectional study in China

Abstract

ObjectivesTo assess the influence of patent foramen ovale (PFO) on the prevalence of migraine without aura based on propensity score-matched samples in Southwest China.DesignPropensity-matched cross-sectional study.ParticipantsResidents over 20 years of age were recruited from 15 communities of Western China from July 2020 to October 2020. A total of 3741 residents having accepted to undergo contrast-transthoracic echocardiography and a standard structured questionnaire was assessed for the relationship between PFO and migraine without aura.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary outcome measures were the prevalence of migraine without aura across different degrees of right–left shunts.ResultsA total of 3741 participants were included. Among them, 881 participants were diagnosed with PFO. The prevalence of migraine without aura in the PFO group was 12.83%, significantly higher than the other group (7.83%, p<0.0001). Analyses of the matched samples showed that the presence of a PFO increased the morbidity risk of migraine without aura (p < 0.001; OR=1.71, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.47).ConclusionThis community-based cross-sectional study pointed to a strong association between PFO and migraine without aura, especially when the shunt is large.Trial registration numberChiCTR1900024623.