Medicinski Glasnik (Aug 2011)
Risk of the recurrent headache and migraine appearance within the family
Abstract
Aim The aim of this research was to determine the risk for familyappearance of the recurrent headache (non-migraine and migraine). Methods The research was conducted in Vojvodina, the Northern Province of Serbia. The population of Vojvodina is around 2 millionpeople belonging to more than 20 different ethnic groups. During the 20-year period (1988-2008), 30,363 children aged 3 to 17 years were tested, independent of their place of birth. The presence of headaches similar to those tested was compared among all themembers of the family within three generations. Results Positive family data of the recurrent headaches were detected among 98.6% children with migraine headaches, 64.7% children with non-migraine headaches, and 32.4% children without recurrent headaches. The relation among the members of the nuclear family (contingency quotient of 0.429) was significantly stronger than the relation to the members of wider family (contingency quotient of 0.338). Conclusion The probability of a child having the migraine headacherather than the non-migraine one was very high for parents andhigh for father’s mother, while it was not significant for mother’smother, mother’s father and father’s father, having similar recurrentheadaches.
