Co-morbidity of migraine with somatic disease in a large population-based study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to determine sex specific co-morbidity of migraine and its subtypes migraine without aura (MO) and migraine with aura (MA) with a number of common somatic diseases.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In 2002, a questionnaire containing previously validated questions to diagnose migraine and its subtypes as well as questions regarding some somatic diseases was sent to 46,418 twins residing in Denmark and born between 1931 and 1982. The twins are representative of the whole Danish population and were used as such in the present study.

RESULTS: We found that 21, 23 and 12 conditions were co-morbid with migraine, MA and MO, respectively. Co-morbid diseases included previously documented diseases: asthma, epilepsy and stroke as well as new conditions: kidney stone, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia. MA had more co-morbidities than MO and females more than males.

CONCLUSIONS: Migraine occurs in 20-30% of several medical conditions. It should be diagnosed and treated along with the primary disease.