The lifetime prevalence of headache and migraine was assessed in an unselected sample of atopic (asthma, eczema or rhinitis) children in a general practice population of known socio-economic and age/sex composition. Maternal migraine was also recorded. The prevalence of both headache and migraine was significantly and proportionally higher in children with atopic disorders compared to those without. Childhood migraine was associated with atopy and the association was strongest with rhinitis. Rhinitis in children was associated with maternal migraine. A history of atopy (especially rhinitis) supports the diagnosis of migraine in young children with paroxysmal headaches.

This study initiated by a self-help migraine group investigated disability caused by visual environmental stimuli, e.g. glare, flicker, pattern and color. One thousand forty-four women with migraine completed the self-report questionnaire on visual environmental stimuli reported in earlier studies to precipitate or aggravate migraine. One hundred twenty-one female controls were obtained from general practice and hospital out-patients. The responses of the classical, common and non-migraine groups were compared. Women with classical migraine expressed greater disability than those with common migraine or controls both in respect of number of visual sensitivities reported (P < 0.0001) and severity of consequences of such stimuli (P < 0.0001). This study indicated differences between classical and common migraine outside of the attack phase apart from aura. Reported range of sensitivities for the migraineurs peaked between the ages of 46-60 years. A high level of unrealized disability caused by visual environmental stimuli was thus identified in hitherto unexplored self-help groups.

A signifi cant fraction of military soldiers sustain nerve injury and use tobacco or nicotine containing products. Healing of nerve injuries is infl uenced by many factors, such as degree of original injury, healing potential of the nerve, and general health of patient. However, recently, it has been demonstrated that the presence of retained insoluble metal fragments decreases healing. The effects of systemic nicotine administration, with or without metal fragments at the site of nerve injury, were evaluated. Both the nicotine-administered groups (nicotine, nicotine + shrapnel) showed signifi cant increase in the peroneal function compared with untreated controls, as assessed by paw area ( p < 0.05). Furthermore, to test possible role of altered sensory function, we used the hot plate assay. Latency to withdraw paw from a hot plate was signifi cantly shorter in nicotine groups ( p < 0.05). These data indicate that nicotine improves sensory and motor aspects of nerve function, in the presence or absence of shrapnel.

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