Migraine is a traumatic brain injury (TBI) risk factor, according to a recent population-based study in Taiwan. Researchers identified 7267 patients with newly diagnosed migraine between 1996 and 2010. The migraineurs to non-migraineurs ratio was 1:4. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to assess the effects of migraines on the risk of TBI after adjusting for potential confounders. Among the findings:
- The overall TBI risk was 1.78 times greater in the migraine group vs the non-migraine group after controlling for covariates.
- Additionally, patients with previous diagnoses of alcohol-attributed disease, mental disorders, and diabetes mellitus had a significantly higher TBI risk compare with those with no history of these diagnoses.
Wang QR, Lu YY, Su YJ, et al. Migraine and traumatic brain injury: a cohort study in Taiwan. [Published online ahead of print July 30, 2019]. BMJ Open . doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027251.