Printer Friendly Page
FOR IRAQ VETERANS, MIGRAINES MAY BE SIGN OF
OTHER
PROBLEMS -- Findings should alert health care
providers
about the frequent association of migraine
headaches and
psychiatric conditions in soldiers returning
from deployment.
Story here...
http://www.eurekalert.org/
pub_releases/2007-05/aaon-fiv041007.php
Story below:
---------------
For Iraq veterans, migraines may be sign of
other problems
BOSTON – Soldiers returning from combat in Iraq who have migraine
headaches are more than twice as likely to also have symptoms of
post-traumatic stress, depression or anxiety than soldiers who do not
have migraines, according to research that will be presented at the
American Academy of Neurology's 59th Annual Meeting in Boston, April 28
– May 5, 2007.
The study involved 3,621 United States Army soldiers who were given a
health screening questionnaire within 90 days after returning from one
year of combat duty in Iraq. A total of 2,167 of the soldiers, or 60
percent, completed the questionnaire. Of those, 19 percent screened
positive for migraine headaches, 32 percent screened positive for
depression, 22 percent screened positive for post-traumatic stress
disorder, and 13 percent screened positive for anxiety.
The researchers found that 50 percent of those with migraine also had
depression, compared to 27 percent of those without migraine. A total of
39 percent of those with migraine also had post-traumatic stress
disorder, compared to 18 percent of those without migraine. And 22
percent of those with migraine also had anxiety, compared to 10 percent
of those without migraine.
"Previous studies in non-military populations had revealed a higher
prevalence of certain psychiatric conditions, such as depression and
anxiety, among people with migraine," said study author Maj. Jay C.
Erickson, MD, PhD, of Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, WA. "We
hypothesized that there would be a similar relationship between migraine
and psychiatric conditions in soldiers. The precise reasons for such an
association are not fully understood, but may be related to similarities
in the mechanisms underlying migraines and some psychiatric disorders."
The study also found that those with migraine and depression also had
more frequent headaches than those who had migraine with no depression –
an average of 3.5 headache days per month for those with depression
compared to 2.5 days per month for those with no depression. The
findings were similar for those with migraine and post-traumatic stress
disorder.
"These findings should alert health care providers, especially those
affiliated with the military or veteran health care systems, about the
frequent association of migraine headaches and psychiatric conditions in
soldiers returning from deployment," Erickson said. "We recommend that
health care providers who evaluate combat veterans for headaches perform
mental health screening in order to ensure that psychiatric disorders
are identified and properly treated. All soldiers returning from
deployment presently undergo mental health screening."
###
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of over 20,000
neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving
patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders
of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy,
multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and stroke.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit
www.aan.com.
---------------
Larry Scott --
