Migraine aura or transient ischemic attacks? A five-year follow-up case-control study of women with transient central nervous system disorders in pregnancy
2007

Migraine Aura vs. Transient Ischemic Attacks in Pregnant Women

Sample size: 41 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Janne Marit Ertresvåg, Lars Jacob Stovner, Lene Ekern Kvavik, Hans-Jørgen Johnsen, John-Anker Zwart, Grethe Helde, Gunnar Bovim

Primary Institution: Norwegian National Headache Centre, Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St Olavs Hospital, and Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Hypothesis

Can migraine aura be differentiated from transient ischemic attacks in pregnant women with transient neurological disorders?

Conclusion

Migraine with aura is the most common cause of transient neurological symptoms in pregnant women, and it usually has a good prognosis regarding cerebrovascular events.

Supporting Evidence

  • Migraine with aura was diagnosed in 34 out of 41 patients.
  • None of the patients or controls reported cerebrovascular episodes during the five-year follow-up.
  • Patients had more headaches before pregnancy compared to controls.

Takeaway

This study looked at pregnant women who had strange symptoms and found that most of them had migraine auras, which are usually not dangerous.

Methodology

41 pregnant women with transient neurological symptoms were studied and compared to 41 controls over five years.

Potential Biases

Potential selection bias due to the referral process for patients with neurological symptoms.

Limitations

The study had a small sample size and relied on self-reported data for some variables.

Participant Demographics

All participants were pregnant women, with a mean age of approximately 28 years.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1741-7015-5-19

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