[Spanish study of quality of life in migraine (I). Profile of the patient with migraine attending neurology clinics].

BACKGROUND

Migraine is the main reason for neurological consultation.

OBJECTIVES

To analyse the profile of the patient with migraine attending the Neurological Services of our country.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Neurologists from 7 hospitals in different spanish regions interviewed 305 patients (at least 40 per hospital) who met migraine diagnostic criteria. They used an ad hoc questionnaire in which detailed demographic and migraine clinical data were included. Patients with transformed migraine or tension-type headache more than two days per week were excluded.

RESULTS

The majority (82%), were women, with no other diseases, with an average social (88%) and cultural (41%) level. The mean age at consultation was 38 +/- 11 years, while the mean duration of migraine history was 18 +/- 13 years; 78% met criteria of migraine without aura, 15% of migraine with aura and the remaining (8%) both migraine with and without aura criteria. Main subjective precipitating factors were: stress (80%), foods (68%), drugs (34%), alcohol (20%) and menstruation (8%). Migraine pain was referred to as mild by 4% of cases, as moderate by 59% and as severe in the remaining 37%. The usual duration of migraine attacks ranged from 12 to 24 h in 35% of cases, from 24 to 48 h in 25%, from 4 to 12 h in 23% and was longer than 48 h in the remaining 17%. More than half (53%) had more than 3 attacks per month. The pain was unilateral in 70% of cases, and more than half had vomiting (57%) and sono and/or photophobia (97%).

CONCLUSIONS

The typical profile of the migraine patient attending the Neurology Services in Spain is that of a woman aged from 20-50, with a long personal history of migraine, otherwise healthy and with an average socioeconomic and cultural level. Our data confirm that migraine attacks are incapacitating in a relevant number of these patients.