Epidemiology of migraine in men: Results from the Chronic Migraine Epidemiology and Outcomes (CaMEO) Study

ORCID
0000-0003-4599-9834
Affiliation
Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, affiliated with Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
Scher, Ann I.;
ORCID
0000-0001-5179-5358
Affiliation
Faculty of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
Wang, Shuu-Jiun;
GND
1209715945
ORCID
0000-0002-9932-1159
LSF
12952
Affiliation
Evangelical Hospital Unna, Department of Neurology, University of Essen, Essen, Germany
Katsarava, Zaza;
Affiliation
Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
Buse, Dawn C.;
Affiliation
Vedanta Research, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Fanning, Kristina M.;
Affiliation
Allergan plc, Irvine, CA, USA
Adams, Aubrey Manack;
GND
137669836
ORCID
0000-0003-2652-2897
Affiliation
Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
Lipton, Richard B.

Objective: To assess migraine epidemiology in men by examining gender differences in disease presentation, comorbidities, and prognosis.

Patients and methods: The Chronic Migraine Epidemiology and Outcomes (CaMEO) Study is a longitudinal survey of US adults with migraine identified by web questionnaire. Data were stratified by gender, collected between September 2012–November 2013, and included sociodemographics, headache features, Migraine Disability Assessment, Migraine Symptom Severity Score, Allodynia Symptom Checklist, and comorbidities. Discrete time hazard models addressed 1-year likelihood of transition from episodic to chronic migraine headache frequency.

Results: Of the 16,789 migraine respondents, 4294 were men (25.6%). Compared to women, men were slightly older at onset of their headaches (mean 24.1 vs. 22.3 years) and had fewer headache days/month (4.3 vs. 5.3 days), slightly less severe attacks (Migraine Symptom Severity Score, 21.6 vs. 22.6), reduced frequencies of grade IV Migraine Disability Assessment scores (15.7% vs. 24.1%), allodynia (32.6% vs. 49.7%), chronic migraine (6.5% vs. 9.6%, each p  < 0.001), and common comorbidities. Men were less likely to report consulting a doctor for their headaches and receiving a migraine diagnosis if they consulted. Men and women with episodic migraine had similar crude 1-year risk of chronic migraine onset. Controlling for known risk factors (i.e. depression, headache frequency, allodynia), men had greater likelihood of chronic migraine onset at 6, 9, and 12 months (each p  < 0.05).

Conclusions: Findings confirmed gender differences. Men with migraine generally have less severe attacks and disability and are less likely to receive a diagnosis than women with migraine. Prognostic factors may be better understood for women than men.

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© International Headache Society 2018

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