MIGRAINE TRIGGER FACTORS IN A NONCLINICAL MEXICAN-AMERICAN POPULATIONIN SAN-DIEGO COUNTY - IMPLICATIONS FOR ETIOLOGY

We conducted an investigation of migraine headache in a general popula tion of Mexican-Americans living in San Diego county. Specific headach e triggers were reported and analyzed, the most frequently reported fo r females with migraine being missing meals (58.9%), weather changes ( 54.4%), menstruation (53.6%), post-crisis letdown (52.7%), and fatigue (51.8%). The most frequently reported trigger factors for migraines r eported by males were fatigue (58.8%), sleep (as a precipitating fatte r) (56.3%), post-crisis letdown (41.2%), and weather changes (37.5%). Trigger factors were further evaluated using stratification by presenc e or absence of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP), menstrual migraine, family history of migraine, and by migraine type. Odds ratios and 95% confide nce intervals were calculated. These results suggest that subjects wit h migraine and RP (perhaps indicative of a systematic vascular tone di sorder) and those with menstrual migraine (indicative of sensitivity t o hormonal changes) may overall be more sensitive to certain environme ntal stimuli, particularly those involving change in the internal envi ronment.