A meta-analysis of case-control studies of the association of migraine and patent foramen ovale

• Published in: Journal of cardiology Vol. 67; no. 6; pp. 493 - 503
• Main Authors: Takagi, Hisato, Umemoto, Takuya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2016
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Cardiovascular; Case-Control Studies; Female; Foramen Ovale, Patent - complications; Humans; Male; Meta-analysis; Middle Aged; Migraine; Migraine with Aura - epidemiology; Migraine with Aura - etiology; Migraine without Aura - epidemiology; Migraine without Aura - etiology; Odds Ratio; Patent foramen ovale; Prevalence; Young Adult; Patent foramen ovale; Migraine; Meta-analysis
• ISSN: 0914-5087; 1876-4738; 1876-4738
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jjcc.2015.09.016

To establish quantitative evidence, we performed the first meta-analysis of case-control studies assessing the relationship between migraine and patent foramen ovale (PFO). MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched through April 2015 using PubMed and OVID. Eligible studies were case-control studies reporting PFO (or migraine) prevalence in migraine patients versus no-migraine subjects (or PFO patients versus no-PFO subjects). Of 395 potentially relevant articles screened initially, 21 eligible studies enrolling a total of 5572 participants were identified and included. Pooled analyses demonstrated statistically significant 3.36-fold migraine-with-aura [odds ratio (OR), 3.36; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.04–5.55; p<0.00001] and 2.46-fold migraine-with/without-aura prevalence (OR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.55–3.91; p=0.0001) but statistically non-significant 1.30-fold migraine-without-aura prevalence (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 0.85–1.99; p=0.22) in PFO patients relative to no-PFO subjects. PFO is associated with 3.4-fold migraine-with-aura and 2.5-fold migraine-with/without-aura prevalence but unassociated with migraine-without-aura prevalence.