The Importance of Some Possible Somatic and Environmental Risk Factors for the Development of Migraine

Background: The study of risk factors of migraine is important, not least because migraine prevalence seems to increase. The knowledge of risk factors remains limited, however, despite years of research. The objective was to evaluate some possible somatic and environmental risk factors for the development of migraine. Methods: The Danish Twin Omnibus 1994 and 2002 were questionnaire surveys investigating somatic disorders, lifestyle factors and socioeconomic factors. Both studies used the same validated questions to diagnose migraine. The study population included twin individuals born between 1953 and 1976 who in 1994 reported never to have had migraine. We compared the groups with and without a specific disorder or environmental factor in 1994 with regard to their migraine status in 2002. Results: This study comprised 13,498 subjects (6,513 men and 6,985 women). The 8-year risk of developing migraine was significantly increased in subjects who already had low back pain (odds ratio (OR) = 1.3; 95% CI = 1.2 - 1.4). Environmental factors associated with an increased risk of development of migraine were low education (OR = 1.3; 95% CI = 1.1 - 1.5), heavy physical workload (OR = 1.1; 95% CI = 1.0 - 1.2), heavy physical recreational activity (OR = 1.2; 95% CI = 1.0 - 1.3) and body mass index (BMI) < 18.5 (OR = 1.3; 95% CI = 1.1 - 1.6). Subjects with weekly or more frequent alcohol consumption had a lower risk of developing migraine compared to subjects with less frequent or no consumption of alcohol (OR = 0.6; 95% CI = 0.6 - 0.7). Conclusions: This large-scale longitudinal population-based study showed that the risk of development of self-reported migraine was increased in subjects with low back pain, low education, heavy physical workload and heavy physical recreational activity, and decreased in those with frequent alcohol consumption. J Neurol Res. 2015;5(3):193-198 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jnr336w