Migraine is frequent in children and adolescents with neurofibromatosis type 1

• Published in: Pediatrics international Vol. 56; no. 6; pp. 865 - 867
• Main Authors: Pinho, Ricardo Silva, Fusão, Eduardo Ferracioli, Paschoal, Joelma Karina Sagica Fernandes, Caran, Eliana Maria Monteiro, Minett, Thaís Soares Cianciarullo, Vilanova, Luiz Celso Pereira, Masruha, Marcelo Rodrigues
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2014
• Subjects: Adolescent; adolescents; Case-Control Studies; Child; Child, Preschool; children; Female; Genetic disorders; headache; Headaches; Humans; Male; Medical research; Migraine; migraine disorders; Migraine Disorders - diagnosis; Migraine Disorders - epidemiology; Neurofibromatosis 1 - complications; Neurofibromatosis 1 - diagnosis; neurofibromatosis type 1; Neurological disorders; Pediatrics; Prevalence; neurofibromatosis type 1; headache; adolescents; children; migraine disorders
• ISSN: 1328-8067; 1442-200X; 1442-200X
• DOI: 10.1111/ped.12375

Background Despite the high prevalence of headache in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), little data exist regarding the classification and characterization of headaches experienced by these patients. This paper describes a study of headache in patients with NF1 compared with healthy controls. Methods In this transversal study, participants (aged 4–19 years) were classified into two groups: NF1 patients or control subjects. The diagnosis of NF1 was performed according to the diagnostic criteria of the National Institutes of Health Consensus Conference, and the headache diagnosis was performed according to the diagnostic criteria of the International Classification of Headache Disorders, Second Edition. All participants underwent physical and neurologic evaluation and completed a detailed headache questionnaire. Results The comparison of 50 patients with NF1 and 50 age‐matched controls revealed that the complaint of headache was significantly more frequent in the NF1 group than in the control group (CG) (62% vs 14%, χ2(1) = 22.4; P < 0.001). Migraine was significantly more frequent in patients with NF1 than in the CG (54% vs 14%, χ2(1) = 17.82; P < 0.001). No differences were found between the two groups regarding the use of simple analgesics (NF1: 14% vs CG: 5%, χ2(1) = 1.18; P = 0.276). Conclusions Children and adolescents with NF1 are prone to migraines. Complaints of headache are very frequent in this population.