Premium
Markedly increased prevalence of migraine headaches in adolescents with bipolar disorder
Author(s) -
Mehrhof Sara Z.,
Fiksenbaum Lisa M.,
Bettridge Ariel M.,
Goldstein Benjamin I.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
bipolar disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.285
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1399-5618
pISSN - 1398-5647
DOI - 10.1111/bdi.12972
Subject(s) - migraine , headaches , bipolar disorder , medicine , depression (economics) , psychiatry , odds ratio , mood , confidence interval , mood disorders , pediatrics , psychology , clinical psychology , anxiety , economics , macroeconomics
Objective There is substantial evidence of increased prevalence of migraines, and negative psychiatric correlates of migraines, in adults with bipolar disorder (BD). Given the paucity of data on this topic in youth, we investigated the prevalence and correlates of migraine in a large sample of adolescents with BD. Method The study included 165 adolescents with BD‐I, ‐II, or ‐not otherwise specified (NOS), diagnosed via the KSADS‐PL semi‐structured interview, and 89 healthy controls (HCs). Non‐migraine headache and migraine headache was evaluated using the validated ID‐Migraine 3‐item screener. Results Although the prevalence of non‐migraine headaches did not differ between adolescents with BD (24.2%) and HCs (32.6%; P = .15), migraine was significantly more prevalent among adolescents with BD (38.2%) compared to HCs (3.4%; adjusted odds ratio 14.76, 95% confidence interval 4.39‐49.57; P < .001). Within BD, migraine was associated with female sex, BD‐II/‐NOS subtype, less severe worst past functioning, higher past depression severity, higher self‐reported affective lability, higher body mass index, and less use of lithium and second‐generation antipsychotics. Discussion Migraine is much more prevalent among adolescents with BD compared to HCs; the magnitude of this association exceeds what has been reported in adult samples. Correlates of migraine in youth BD are similar to those found for adults, including the link with the depressive polarity of BD. Future prospective studies are warranted to evaluate temporal associations between migraine and mood symptoms, and to evaluate neurobiological and cardiovascular underpinnings of these associations.