Citation

Eckner JT, Seifert T, Pescovitz A, Zeiger M, Kutcher JS. Clin. J. Sport. Med. 2016; 27(3): 266-270.

Affiliation

*Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan;†Michigan NeuroSport, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan;‡Department of Neurology, Norton Healthcare, Louisville, Kentucky;§Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky; and¶Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. A. Pescovitz is now with Department of General Surgery, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York; M. Zeiger is now with Division of Pediatric Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, California; and J. S. Kutcher is now with The Sports Neurology Clinic, Ann Arbor, Mississippi.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/JSM.0000000000000346

PMID

27428679

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between migraine headache and concussion in athletes.

DESIGN: Case-control observational study. SETTING: A university-associated combined sports neurology and orthopedic sports medicine clinic. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 221 male (n = 140) and female (n = 81) athletes aged 12 to 24 years, including 115 concussion cases (52%) and 106 orthopedic controls (48%), were included in this study. INTERVENTIONS: Participants completed a one-page questionnaire that recorded their age, sex, reason for visit (concussion vs any other injury), concussion history, and self/immediate family member migraine headache history. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The odds of having a previous history of migraine headache were compared in the concussion group versus orthopedic controls.

RESULTS: Controlling for between-group differences in age and sex, there was a significant positive association between concussion group status and history of migraine headache [adjusted odds ratio (OR), 1.90; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-3.50. P = 0.039]. However, when including a previous concussion history in the statistical model, this relationship failed to reach significance [adjusted OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 0.89-3.16. P = 0.107].

CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that there is an association between migraine headache and concussion in athletes, but the cause-effect nature of this relationship cannot be determined. Migraine headache should be considered a modifying factor when caring for concussed athletes.

Language: en