Association of Helicobacter pylori with migraine headaches and the effects of this infection and its eradication on the migraine characteristics in adults: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Migraine is one of the most common neurological disorders that can severely overshadow people's quality of life, and Helicobacter pylori infection is a health problem in different societies. During the last two decades, many original studies have been conducted on the various aspects of the relationship between these two disorders; however, they have reported different and sometimes contradictory results. METHODS: This study was conducted based on the PRISMA protocol. We performed a comprehensive literature search in the online databases up to May 2023, and 22 studies that contained original data on the relationship between H. pylori infection and migraine headaches in adults were included. For performing the meta-analysis, we calculated the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), using a random-effects model, and to determine the possible causes of heterogeneity, we conducted a subgroup meta-analysis. RESULTS: The overall OR for the association of H. pylori infection and migraine headaches through 493,794 evaluated individuals was 2.80 [95% CI = 1.75-4.48; I2 = 89.20, p < 0.01], which reveals a statistically significant association between these disorders. It was found that the studies that were conducted in Asian regions and the recently published ones have clearly shown a higher association between migraine and H. pylori infection. On the other hand, migraine patients who are infected with H. pylori have similar signs and symptoms as H. pylori-negative migraineurs; meanwhile, the clinical trials conducted in this field strongly emphasize the benefits of eradicating H. pylori infection in migraine patients and have estimated its effectiveness in improving migraine headaches equivalent to current common migraine treatments. Furthermore, it was reported that white matter lesions were 2.5-fold higher on brain MRI in patients with H. pylori-positive migraine compared with H. pylori-negative migraineurs; however, the evidence does not support the role of oxidative stress in patients suffering from H. pylori infection and migraine and refuses the role of Cag-A-positive strains of H. pylori in migraine headaches. CONCLUSION: According to the currently available data, it seem reasonable that patients with a definite diagnosis of migraine who also suffer from gastrointestinal problems, undergo the H. pylori detection tests and if the evaluations are positive, H. pylori eradication treatment can be considered even before any migraine treatment.

Concurrent diffuse dural and leptomeningeal enhancements in brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging following a mild COVID-19 infection: A Novel Case Report and Review of Literature.

INTRODUCTION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, various complications have been reported in patients with this infection worldwide, including a wide range of neurological disorders. In this study, we have reported a novel neurological complication in a 46-years-old woman who was referred due to a headache following a mild COVID-19 infection. Also, we have had a quick review of previous reports of dural and leptomeningeal involvements in COVID-19 patients. CASE REPORT: The patient's headache was persistent, global, and compressive with radiation to the eyes. The severity of the headache was increased during the disease course and was exacerbated by walking, coughing, and sneezing but decreased with rest. The high severity of the headache disrupted the patient's sleep. Neurological examinations were completely normal, and laboratory tests did not have abnormal findings except for an inflammatory pattern. Finally, in the brain MRI, a concurrent diffuse dural enhancement and leptomeningeal involvement were observed, which is a new finding in COVID-19 patients and has not been reported so far. The patient was hospitalized and treated with Methylprednisolone pulses. After completing the therapeutic course, she was discharged from the hospital in good condition and with an improved headache. A repeated brain MRI was requested 2 months after discharge, which was completely normal and showed no evidence of dural and leptomeningeal involvements. CONCLUSION: Inflammatory complications of the central nervous system caused by COVID-19 can occur in different forms and types, and clinicians should consider them.

Effects of blood pressure unawareness and poor adherence to antihypertensive drugs on outcomes of cerebrovascular accidents among patients with their first-ever stroke.

AIMS: Our main target was to investigate the relationship of blood pressure (BP) unawareness and poor antihypertensive drug adherence with the clinical outcomes of the stroke including hospitalization time, degree of disability, and mortality rate. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated 530 eligible patients (male = 313; female = 217), aged 18 years and older who had a proven diagnosis of nontraumatic first-ever stroke and were referred to the Shahid Beheshti Hospital of Hamadan, Iran, during the period from March 2019 to September 2021. The prevalence of BP unawareness was 19.6%, and 31.8% of antihypertensive drug users (14.3% of all studied population) had poor drug adherence, in which, older age, male gender, marriage, rural residence, and smoking were associated with the lack of appropriate drug adherence. There was no significant difference between patients with diverse stroke types (ischemic or hemorrhagic) from the points of BP awareness and adherence to antihypertensive drugs; nevertheless, patients with a positive history of cardiac diseases had a significantly higher awareness of their BP status ( P  = 0.037). BP unawareness was associated with poor clinical prognosis, and could significantly increase stroke mortality ( P  = 0.001) and disability ( P < 0.001) rates as well as the duration of hospitalization ( P  < 0.001). Moreover, those who survived the stroke (modified Rankin Scale < 6) had the highest odds to be aware of their BP status (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.380 [95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.39-4.07]). Additionally, nonsmokers (AOR = 7.740), urban residents (AOR = 3.314), and literate patients (AOR = 2.092) had the highest odds of having appropriate drug adherence. CONCLUSION: Stroke mortality and morbidity rates can be significantly modified by persuading people to monitor their BP regularly and maximize antihypertensive medication adherence. In the meantime, increasing the literacy level in society and reducing the smoking rate can play important roles in achieving these goals.