Frequency of Prodromal Symptoms in Patients Suffering from Migraines with Aura

Abstract

Aim: Prodromal findings of migraine may be overlooked when patients are not questioned well. The International Classification of Headache Disorders classifies the prodromal phase as the symptomatic phase, which may last from 2 to 48 h and manifests before the onset of pain in migraine without aura and before the aura in migraine with aura. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and duration of prodromal symptoms and their relationship with the presence of aura in migraine patients. Methods: This observational study was designed as a survey where participants took an online questionnaire between July and November 2020. The questionnaire consisted of two parts; in the first part, the diagnostic criteria for migraine were questioned. After the participants completed the migraine diagnostic criteria, they moved on to the second part, in which headache characteristics, the presence and type of the aura, and prodromal symptoms were asked. Results: This study included 521 participants with migraine according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders. Two hundred seventy-one participants responded that they had auras; 169 of these experienced visual auras. Considering the frequency of prodromes, the three most common symptoms in participants with migraine with or without aura were sensitivity to light, sensitivity to sound, and mood changes. When the two groups were compared, the percentages for the prodromal symptoms except for neck pain were found to be higher in patients with migraine with aura (p<0.05 for each). Conclusion: Our study’s findings suggest that migraine patients with or without aura do not recognize the symptoms in this phase well enough. Also, the most crucial finding was that prodromal symptoms were more common in migraine patients with aura. This could be evaluated as the patients with migraine aura might have interpreted prolonged prodromal symptoms as aura. To predict the onset of attacks in migraine patients and enhance their treatment compliance, knowing and recognizing prodromal symptoms is essential