No Relationship Between Patent Foramen Ovale and Migraine Frequency

Abstract

© 2016 American Headache SocietyBackground: Pathophysiology of migraine is not fully known. A link has been proposed between migraine and patent foramen ovale (PFO). However, there are conflicting data regarding the causal relationship between PFO and migraine. Objective: To test a potential association between migraine frequency and PFO by way of an observational, single-center, case-controlled study. Methods: We studied a total of 130 chronic migraine (CM) and 53 episodic migraine (EM) patients. Transcranial Doppler with agitated saline injection was used to evaluate the presence and degree of PFO. PFO was judged to be present if any signal was detected. The degree of PFO during rest and Valsalva was quantified as follows: small (1–10 microbubbles [MB]), medium (10–25 MB), or large (>25 MB with shower or curtain pattern). PFO detected at rest were considered permanent, while those detected during Valsalva maneuver were classified as latent. Results: The prevalence of PFO was similar