Perceived migraine triggers: do dietary factors play a role?

The present cross-sectional study was designed to assess the frequency of 36 possible triggering factors precipitating a migraine crisis (hormonal, environmental, and dietary) in adult outpatients suffering from migraine attacks. A group of 123 migraine sufferers, aged 43.2 ± 13.9 (mean ± SD) years, including 114 (92.7%) women, 68.3% having migraine without aura, 68.3% reporting pain severe enough to require drug prophylaxis, and 29.3% presenting with hypertension, were evaluated. The most common triggers were stress and fasting, and environmental and hormonal factors were frequently found to precipitate a crisis. More than 90% of the patients reported susceptibility to 5 or more factors, and only 2.4% did not complain about any dietary factor. The large number of triggers detected in the present study emphasises the importance of awareness and avoidance of these factors in the management of patients with migraine.

Perceived migraine triggers; do dietary factors play a role? / Factores desencadenantes de migraña; ¿los factores dieteticos tienen influencia?

The present cross-sectional study was designed to assess the frequency of 36 possible triggering factors precipitating a migraine crisis (hormonal, environmental, and dietary) in adult outpatients suffering from migraine attacks. A group of 123 migraine sufferers, aged 43.2 ± 13.9 (mean ± SD) years, including 114 (92.7%) women, 68.3% having migraine without aura, 68.3% reporting pain severe enough to require drug prophylaxis, and 29.3% presenting with hypertension, were evaluated. The most common triggers were stress and fasting, and environmental and hormonal factors were frequently found to precipitate a crisis. More than 90% of the patients reported susceptibility to 5 or more factors, and only 2.4% did not complain about any dietary factor. The large number of triggers detected in the present study emphasises the importance of awareness and avoidance of these factors in the management of patients with migraine (AU)

El presente es un estudio transversal que fue diseñado para estimar la frecuencia de 36 posibles factores desencadenantes de iniciar una crisis de migraña (hormonales, ambientales y dietéticos) en pacientes adultos ambulatoriales que sufren ataques de migraña. Fue evaluado un grupo de 123 adultos que sufre de migraña, con edades entre 43,2 ± 13,9 (media ± DE), incluyendo 114 (92,7%) mujeres con migraña sin aura, 68,3% de las cuales informaron sentir dolor suficiente como para requerir profilaxis con fármacos y 29,3% con hipertensión. Los factores desencadenantes más comunes fueron el estrés y el ayuno; factores ambientales y hormonales fueron también desencadenantes frecuentes. Más del 90% de los pacientes informaron susceptibilidad a 5 o más factores, y sólo el 2,4% no informó de ningún factor dietético. El gran número de factores desencadenantes detectados en el presente estudio enfatiza la importancia del cuidado y la prevención de estos factores en el manejo de pacientes con migraña (AU)