The Prevalence of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Hyperintensity in Migraine Patients and Its Association with Migraine Headache Characteristics and Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the frequency of hyperintense foci in migraine patients and the relationship with migraine headache characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors. Methods: Ninety patients with migraine headache (70 without aura and 20 with aura) were enrolled and interviewed. Information on their headache (severity, frequency, and mean disease duration) and other related data was obtained by completing a clinical checklist. Subsequently, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed and each patient was then evaluated for hyperintense lesions. Results: Of the 90 patients, 29 (32%) had silent hyperintense lesions on their MRI. The mean age of the patients with hyperintense foci was 41 years while those with no lesions was 33 years (p0.050). The lesions were found significantly more frequently in the patients who experienced chronic migraine (p=0.032). Conclusion: Our study adds weight to the theory that disease duration has a key role in the formation of hyperintense brain lesions. Certain cardiovascular risk factors such as sex, smoking, serum cholesterol, and BMI, do not affect the presence or absence of such lesions, suggesting that the relationship between migraine and these lesions may be directly due to the effects of migraine itself.

Keywords

• Migraine Disorders
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• White Matter
• Migraine with Aura
• Migraine without Aura