An observational study found an increased prevalence of headaches and migraine in psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis patients.
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) are inflammatory diseases affecting the joints, with shared genetic backgrounds and clinical manifestations. Headache affects over 50% of adults worldwide, with migraine being the most prevalent. Studies indicate a correlation between autoimmune disease and migraine risk.
A single-center, cross-sectional, observational cohort study published in the journal Biomedicines examined the prevalence of headaches and migraine in PsA and axSpA patients.
Patient Characteristics
A total of 286 patients (216 with PsA, 70 with axSpA) and 87 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. All participants were Caucasian and predominantly female (65.74% of PsA patients, 57.14% of axSpA patients, and 63.22% of HCs). The median patient age was 57 years. The average disease duration was 102 and 117.5 months for PsA and axSpA patients, respectively.
PsA Patients Face a Higher Risk of Headaches and Migraines
The prevalence of headaches and migraines (with and without aura) was analyzed in the patient population and compared with the prevalence in the HC population. In the patients with PsA, the prevalence of headache was significantly higher than the prevalence in the HCs (39.81% vs. 26.44%, p = 0.028). The prevalence of migraine without aura was also significantly higher in PsA patients compared to HCs (18.52% vs. 9.2%, p = 0.044). However, the prevalence of migraine with aura was not significantly different between the PsA patients and HCs (15% vs. 26.09%, p = 0.3).
Axspa-Positive Patients Have a Higher Prevalence of Headaches and Migraines
Among the patients with axSpA, the prevalence of headache was significantly higher than the prevalence in the HCs (45.71% vs. 26.44%, p = 0.012). Similarly, the prevalence of migraine without aura was significantly higher in the axSpA patients compared to HCs (28.57% vs. 9.2%, p = 0.02). However, the prevalence of aura was not significantly different between the axSpA patients and HCs (40% vs. 26.09%, p = 0.3).
A Higher Burden of Headache and Migraine Without Aura Observed
Considering the patient populations together, the prevalence of headache (41.26% vs. 26.44%, p = 0.013) and the prevalence of migraine without aura (20.98% vs. 9.2%, p = 0.013) were significantly higher than the prevalence in the HCs.
These findings suggest an increased risk of headache and migraine in patients with PsA and axSpA, highlighting the need for improved management and treatment.
Source:
Marino, A., Currado, D., Altamura, C., Vomero, M., Berardicurti, O., Corberi, E., Kun, L. E., Pilato, A., Biaggi, A., Genovali, I., Bearzi, P., Minerba, M., Orlando, A., Trunfio, F., Quadrini, M., Salvolini, C., Di Corcia, L. P., Saracino, F., Giacomelli, R., & Navarini, L. (2024). Increased Prevalence of Headaches and Migraine in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis and Axial Spondyloarthritis: Insights from an Italian Cohort Study. Biomedicines, 12(2), 371. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12020371
