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. 2021 Nov 17;16(11):e0259502.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259502. eCollection 2021.

Prevalence of migraine in adults with celiac disease: A case control cross-sectional study

Mohammad M Fanaeian  1 , Nazanin Alibeik  2 , Azita Ganji  3 , Hafez Fakheri  4 , Golnaz Ekhlasi  5 , Bijan Shahbazkhani  6
Affiliations

Prevalence of migraine in adults with celiac disease: A case control cross-sectional study

Mohammad M Fanaeian et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Aim: Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated disorder with various manifestations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) and extra-intestinal symptoms of celiac patients, especially migraine, and compare it with healthy individuals.

Methods: We compared 1000 celiac subjects (CS) registered at our celiac center with the control group for headache-based on International Classification of Headache Disorders, third edition criteria and their GI symptoms. Besides, CS with migraine and non-migrainous headache were compared in terms of GI symptoms and accompanied conditions.

Results: Headache was more common in CS than controls (34% vs 27% respectively, P value<0.001) and more prevalent in females (71.9% in females vs 28% in males, P value = 0.004). Moreover, the prevalence of migraine in CS was higher than controls (20.7 vs 11.9% respectively, P value<0.001). Furthermore, migraine was more prevalent in females with CD (80% in females vs 19% in males, P value = 0.033), and often without aura (76%). Abdominal pain (76.9%, P value = 0.025), diarrhea (54.9%, P value = 0.002), and constipation (42.9%, P value = 0.011) were the most common GI symptoms in CS with headache and more prevalent in CS with migraine. Conversely, type 1 diabetes mellitus was less common in CS with migraine than in CS with non-migrainous headache. (P value = 0.001). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, female sex (OR 1.50, 95%CI 1.22-1.83, P value < 0.001), and CD (OR 1.36, 95%CI 1.12-1.65, P value = 0.002) were independent predictors of headache, whereas age more than 60 years (OR 0.70, 95%CI 0.50-0.97, P value = 0.032) had a protective effect.

Conclusion: Headache especially migraine is more prevalent in CS than healthy controls. In addition, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation are more common in CS with migraine than in CS with non-migrainous headaches. Therefore, evaluation of CD in patients with migraine and these simultaneous GI symptoms seems reasonable.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Study nomogram.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Prevalence of different types of headaches in both celiac and control groups.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Comparison of headache prevalence in different age groups between control and celiac subjects.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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