The relationship between migraine and right-to-left shunt in children
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS, vol.170, no.3, pp.365-370, 2011 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 170 Issue: 3
- Publication Date: 2011
- Doi Number: 10.1007/s00431-010-1303-7
- Journal Name: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
- Page Numbers: pp.365-370
- Keywords: Migraine, Patent foramen ovale, Transcranial doppler, Transthoracic echocardiography, Right-to-left shunt, PATENT FORAMEN OVALE, TRANSCRANIAL DOPPLER, STROKE PATIENTS, PREVALENCE, CLOSURE, AURA, ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, RECURRENCE, ULTRASOUND, SCALE
- Ondokuz Mayıs University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Migraine is the most common headache in childhood, and there are some reports that suggest the relationship between migraine and right-to-left shunt. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of right-to-left shunt in children with migraine with aura and compare it with children with migraine without aura, and in healthy children. In a cross-sectional case-control study, we assessed 20 children with migraine with aura, 20 migraine without aura and 20 healthy age, and gender-matched control group. We determined the frequency of right-to-left shunt by transcranial doppler with contrast and transthoracic echocardiography without contrast. The dopplers and echocardiograms were performed blindly by the same examiners during headache-free periods. The presence of right-to-left shunt was found in 13/20 patients with migraine with aura compared with five of 20 migraine without aura and four of 20 control subjects. The frequency of right-to-left shunt in migraine with aura was statistically different from the other two groups (P < 0.005). There was no association between right-to-left shunt and frequency of attacks, duration and intensity of attacks, uni/bilateral occurence, familial occurrence, gender and age of patients. Conclusion: our findings suggest possible association of migraine with aura and right-to-left shunt. It seems that right-to-left shunt does not influence the clinical features of migraine.