Prevalence of migraine in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective. - To determine the prevalence of migraine in patients,vith syste mic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and to examine the relationships between hea dache type and other clinical, serologic, and treatment features of the dis ease. Background.-Headaches are common in SLE and are a significant source of pat ient disability. The exact prevalence of headaches in patients with SLE is unknown. The classification of headache syndromes in SLE is also unclear. P revious studies were based on small numbers of patients and the headache ty pes and criteria to define headache types varied widely. Methods. - Four hundred fourteen patients meeting American College of Rheum atology criteria for the diagnosis of SLE: were sent the University of Cali fornia, San Diego Migraine Questionnaire. Patients who completed the questi onnaire had their medical records reviewed for constitutional, respiratory, cardiac, vascular, skin, musculoskeletal, other neuropsychiatric, hematolo gic, renal, and immunologic manifestations of the disease. Recent corticost eroid, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, antimalarial, acid immunosuppre ssive medications were also recorded. Results. - One hundred eighty-six patients completed the questionnaire, Six ty-two percent of patients reported headaches: 39% met diagnostic criteria for migraine and 23% met criteria for nonmigrainous headache. Of the patien ts with migraine, 56% met criteria for migraine without aura and 44% met cr iteria for migraine with aura. There were no significant associations betwe en headache type and other clinical, serologic, or treatment features of th e disease. Conclusions. - There is a high prevalence of migraine in patients with SLE, and patients should be routinely evaluated for migraine symptoms.