Epilepsy and Migraine Headache: Is There a Connection?

IntroductionThis study investigated the prevalence of migraine headache in pediatric patients with epilepsy and the incidence of these two disorders in the family history.MethodA retrospective chart review was conducted on 475 patients with a primary diagnosis of epilepsy between January 2003 and June 2004. The patients were managed in a pediatric neurology outpatient clinic at a major teaching hospital. Cases were selected using the ICD-9-CM definition for epilepsy. Data collected included age, sex, headache, migraine, and family history.ResultsThe study revealed a higher prevalence of migraine in epilepsy patients (14.7%) than in the general population (2.7% to 11%). Only 4.7% had a family history of migraine, but 20.6% had a positive family history of epilepsy, supporting current ideas of the genetic etiology of some epilepsies.DiscussionThis study specifically addressed epilepsy and migraine in children, but whenever a primary diagnosis is made, the potential for a coexisting disorder should be investigated.