Photo Credit: Design Cells

The following is a summary of “Migraine or any headaches and white matter hyperintensities and their progression in women and men,” published in the May 2024 issue of Pain by Schramm et al.

Despite prior studies on migraine and white matter hyperintensities (WMH), this link’s strength and clinical relevance remain unclear.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study using advanced imaging to examine the link between various headache types and WMH progression.

They analyzed data from 1,062 participants, with 45% being women and an average age of 60.9 years. Participants either had ever experienced headaches or never had them (neverHA). Quantitative (WMH volume) and qualitative (Fazekas classification) WMH data were completed at initial imaging and after an average of 3.7 years. Out of 393 participants were included in the analysis. Linear regression assessed the sex-specific association between headache and its subtypes and WMH volume and change. Log-binomial regression was used to examine the association between headache and its subtypes and Fazekas score (high vs. low, 2–3 vs. 0–1), adjusting for confounders.

The results showed that headache prevalence over a lifetime was 77.5%, with 10.5% experiencing Migraine with Aura (MigA+), 26.9% Migraine without Aura (MigA-), and 40.1% experiencing non-Migraine headache (nonMigHA). The median WMH volume in women was 4005 mm3 (IQR: 2454–6880), while in men, it was 4,812 mm3 (2842–8445). Women with any type of headache had a 1.23-fold higher WMH volume than those who had never experienced headaches. However,  no indication of higher Fazekas grading or increased WMH progression in women with migraine or any headaches. Similarly, men with migraine or any headaches did not exhibit greater WMH volume or progression than those without migraine or headaches.

Investigators found no link between migraine and increased WMH but identified larger WMH volume in women with any headache type, highlighting a need for further sex-specific research.

Soure: thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s10194-024-01782-7