Key clinical point: The perimenstrual period was associated with an increased susceptibility to migraine without aura exclusively in both women who experienced migraine with and without aura; hence, the study recommended that only attacks without aura should be considered for a perimenstrual migraine diagnosis.
Major finding: A significant interaction was observed between the perimenstrual window and migraine subtype for migraine attack occurrence ( P = .022), with the effect of the perimenstrual window being greater among women with migraine without aura (odds ratio [OR] 1.57; 95% CI 1.45-1.69) vs with aura (OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.24-1.49). Women with migraine with vs without aura showed similar increase in migraine attacks without aura during the perimenstrual window ( P = .224).
Study details: This longitudinal electronic diary study included 526 premenopausal women diagnosed with migraine with or without aura.
Disclosures: This study was supported by ZonMw and the Dutch Brain Foundation. Five authors, including the lead author, declared receiving independent support from the study funders. Some authors declared receiving consultancy and independent support from various sources.
Source: Verhagen IE et al. Migraine with and without aura in relation to the menstrual cycle and other hormonal milestones: A prospective cohort study. Cephalalgia. 2023;43(6) (May 31). doi: 10.1177/03331024231164322