Clinical significance of osmophobia and its effect on quality of life in people with migraine.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of osmophobia and its effect on quality of life in people with migraine.

METHODS

A total of 145 people with migraine were included in this cross-sectional study. Patients were evaluated with the migraine data form, the Migraine 24-Hour Quality of Life Questionnaire (24-HrMQoLQ), the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), the Allodynia Symptom Checklist (ASC), and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). To evaluate the presence of osmophobia retrospectively, a semi-structured interview was conducted with the patients by the neurologist.

RESULTS

The mean 24-Hr-MQoLQ of patients with osmophobia was significantly lower than those without osmophobia. The decrease in the 24-Hr-MQoLQ was statistically significant in the areas of feeling and concerns and social functionality. The mean of the MIDAS scale was higher significantly in patients with osmophobia than those without osmophobia. In addition, the mean ISI, PHQ-9, FSS and ASC scores of patients with osmophobia were statistically significantly higher than those without osmophobia.

CONCLUSIONS

Both 24-h and 3-month quality of life of people with migraine with osmophobia were more affected than those without osmophobia. At the same manner, insomnia, depression, fatigue and allodynia were observed at higher rates in people with migraine with osmophobia than in migraine without osmophobia. Osmophobia, which is one of the specific symptoms that distinguishes migraine from other headache disorders, deserves further and multifaceted investigation.