Menstrual Migraine in A Representative Dutch Population Sample: Prevalence, Disability and Treatment

Abstract

We assessed the prevalence of menstrual migraine and its restrictions on daily activities in a representative Dutch population sample of 1181 Dutch women, aged 13-55 years. Further, we evaluated the potential role of oral contraceptives, and how menstrual migraine is treated. More than half suffered from menstrual complaints, a substantial proportion reported headache or migraine as a frequent problem. Use of oral contraceptives seemed to reduce the occurrence of menstrual complaints, but not the occurrence of headache and migraine. In our study, the prevalence of menstrual migraine (3%) is lower than in the literature, most probably because we did not use a selected group of patients but a population-based sample of ordinary women. It was confirmed that attacks of menstrual migraine are more severe, of longer duration, and more resistant to treatment than migraine attacks at other times of the month.

Hormonally modulated migraine is associated with single-nucleotide polymorphisms within genes involved in dopamine metabolism

“…One major phenotypic and possibly genetically identifiable migraine subgroup consists of women whose attacks are influenced by fluctuation in gonadal hormones. Given that almost 60% of women with migraine report that their attacks are more severe or frequent around the time of menstrual flow [7][8][9][10], variation in the genes coding for enzymes and receptors involved in the secretion and regulation of gonadal hormones may be a major source of migraine susceptibility.…”

Managing migraine headaches experienced by patients who self–report with menstrually related migraine: a prospective, placebo–controlled study with oral sumatriptan

“…Population-and casebased studies have indicated that attacks of migraine at the time of menstruation are more severe, of longer duration and more resistant to treatment than attacks at other times of the month [9][10][11]. A small study with sumatriptan indicated that the drug was less effective for attacks occurring during menstruation than for those occurring at other times (56% vs. 81% of patients reporting relief of their migraine headache 4 hours after treatment, when treated during and outside the menstrual period, respectively) [12].…”

Catamenial migraine: epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, clinical features

“…Таким образом, 12,8 года -это возраст наиболее вероятного дебюта данной формы мигрени. Рас-пространенность менструальной мигрени достигает пика в возрасте 40 лет и значительно снижается в постменопау-зе [33]. Зная распространенность мигрени среди общей популяции, можно рассчитать, что среди женского насе-…”

“…E. Couturier et al [33] провели популяционное исследование в Нидерландах с участием 1181 женщины. Го-ловные боли у 32 женщин соответствовали критериям МАМ, а у других 32 женщин -критериям предполагаемой мигрени и были также ассоциированы с менструацией.…”

“…Го-ловные боли у 32 женщин соответствовали критериям МАМ, а у других 32 женщин -критериям предполагаемой мигрени и были также ассоциированы с менструацией. Женщины обеих групп сообщили, что их менструальные приступы не только протекают тяжелее, но и длятся доль-ше и более резистентны к терапии, чем приступы в другие дни цикла [33]. E. MacGregor et al [18] провели исследова-ние с использованием дневников среди пациенток специа-лизированной клиники.…”