CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND LONG-TERM OUTCOME OF MIGRAINE WITH AURA IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

A population of 45 young subjects, 16 males and 29 females, affected b y migraine with aura were studied prospectively. The mean follow-up wa s 7 years 6 months, The clinical characteristics and modifications dur ing migraine aura attacks were evaluated, The aura propagated slowly w ith a pattern corresponding to a cortical pathway in the posteroanteri or direction in 71% of the series, and was visual alone in 40%. Analys is of the relation between the course, and therefore prognosis, and th e aura type showed that headache has a better prognosis when symptoms continue to be only visual, The International Headache Society (IHS) c lassification subdivides migraine with aura into six categories based on the duration of symptoms and the clinical characteristics (hemipleg ic, basilar), Our results suggest that subjects with only visual aura should be considered separately, possibly as a seventh category, becau se they may have a more favourable prognosis.