Sex Differences in Risk Profile, Stroke Cause and Outcome in Ischemic Stroke Patients With and Without Migraine

Sex-based difference in selected stroke etiologies: cerebral dural sinus venous thrombosis, reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome, dissection, migraine, pregnancy/puerperium/OC use

Females are at higher risk than males for a multitude of cerebrovascular conditions, both common and rare; partially resulting from a complex interplay between differing process involving genetics, hormonal influences, common cerebrovascular risk factors among others. Specific topics including cervical artery dissection, cerebral dural sinus venous thrombosis, reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome, migraine, along with these disorders in the setting of pregnancy, puerperium and oral contraceptive utilization. Epidemiology, pathophysiology, presentation, basics of management and outcomes are presented, with sex differences throughout.

Bibliometric Analysis of Research on Migraine-Stroke Association from 2013 to 2023

Background

Both migraine and stroke heavily burden individuals, health systems, and society. The migraine-stroke association is of concern and has been studied widely. Our objective is to explore and overview the current research status and emerging trends.

Materials and Methods

Studies on migraine-stroke association from January 2013 to May 2023 were retrieved and screened from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) database. Records fulfilling the selection criteria were downloaded and imported into CiteSpace for data mining and visualization.

Results

A total of 862 papers on migraine-stroke association were included. Annual publications grew slowly. The United States and European countries dominated research in this area. Harvard University published the largest number of articles, while the University of London was most active with other institutions. Ayata Cenk contributed the most articles, while KURTH T and NEUROLOGY were co-cited most. Research hotspots included migraine with aura, ischemic stroke, patent foramen ovale, cortical spreading depolarization, meta-analysis, cross-sectional study, and risk factors. Pathophysiology and small vessel disease represented research frontiers and emerging trends.

Conclusion

Our study scientifically outlines the migraine-stroke association over the past decade, presenting useful information.

Migraine and cardiovascular disease: what cardiologists should know

Migraine is a chronic neurovascular disease with a complex, not fully understood pathophysiology with multiple causes. People with migraine suffer from recurrent moderate to severe headache attacks varying from 4 to 72 h. The prevalence of migraine is two to three times higher in women compared with men. Importantly, it is the most disabling disease in women <50 years of age due to a high number of years lived with disability, resulting in a very high global socioeconomic burden. Robust evidence exists on the association between migraine with aura and increased incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), in particular ischaemic stroke. People with migraine with aura have an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular death compared with those without migraine. Ongoing studies investigate the relation between migraine and angina with non-obstructive coronary arteries and migraine patients with patent foramen ovale. Medication for the treatment of migraine can be preventative medication, such as beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, antiepileptics, antidepressants, some of the long-acting calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonists, or monoclonal antibodies against calcitonin gene-related peptide or its receptor, or acute medication, such as triptans and calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonists. However, these medications might raise concerns when migraine patients also have CVD due to possible (coronary) side effects. Specifically, knowledge gaps remain for the contraindication to newer treatments for migraine. All cardiologists will encounter patients with CVD and migraine. This state-of-the-art review will outline the basic pathophysiology of migraine and the associations between migraine and CVD, discuss current therapies, and propose future directions for research.

Genetic liability to migraine and functional outcome after ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

To evaluate the association of genetic liability to migraine with functional outcome after ischemic stroke using Mendelian randomization.

METHODS

Genetic proxies for migraine were obtained from the largest genome-wide association study meta-analysis of 102,084 migraine cases and 771,257 controls. Genetic associations with functional outcome after ischemic stroke were obtained from the Genetics of Ischemic Stroke Functional Outcome network study (N = 6021). Poor functional outcome after ischemic stroke was defined as a score of 3-6 on the modified Rankin scale at 3 months (N = 2280). The inverse-variance weighted method was used to estimate the association of genetic liability to migraine with functional outcome, and we performed sensitivity analyses to assess the robustness of results.

RESULTS

Genetic liability to migraine was associated with poor functional outcome after ischemic stroke (odds ratio of poor functional outcome per doubling in migraine odds 1.22, 95% confidence interval 1.02-1.45, p = 0.031). This association remained directionally consistent across sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides genetic support that migraine is associated with poor functional outcome after ischemic stroke. These findings warrant further follow-up and, if replicated, may have clinical implications for post-stroke recovery.

Risk of Stroke in Migrainous Women, a Hidden Association: A Systematic Review

Migraine-a term used to describe a unilateral throbbing headache has shown growing evidence of being linked to different types of strokes-particularly ischemic and hemorrhagic. This study aims to identify and summarize the relationship between migraine and the incidents of stroke in women of child-bearing age. This systematic review was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A search was done using PubMed, the British Medical Journal (BMJ), Cochrane library, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect databases up until March 15, 2022. Studies were chosen based on the listed eligibility criteria: English-language, observational studies, systematic reviews, articles, and meta-analyses, which included stroke patients and migraine patients, and the possible link between these two conditions. In addition, quality assessment was done using assessment tools like Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA), Assessment of multiple systematic reviews (AMSTAR), and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) criteria. The initial search generated 245 studies. Fourteen studies were included in the final selection - one case-control, four cohort studies, seven systematic reviews with meta-analyses, and two narrative reviews. Strokes-particularly ischemic-were found to be linked to the incidents of migraine in women. The risks of a stroke increased if a woman was a smoker, under 45, and uses oral contraceptives regularly. In addition, the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), genetic predisposition, and metabolic dysfunction was linked to increased incidents of hemorrhagic strokes-which proved to be rarer but more fatal due to their serious underlying pathophysiologies.