Migraines Reduced After Thyroid Treatment

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Treating subclinical hypothyroidism can reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks.

A cross-sectional study evaluated the severity and monthly headache frequency in 45 patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (median age 62) who had migraine without aura. These patients were given levothyroxine, 50 to 100 mg per day, for 2 months to test its effect on migraine.

Severity was significantly reduced from a mean of 6.54 to 1.23, and the monthly frequency was reduced from a mean of 14.68 to 1.86. In addition, scores of the quality of life showed a statistically significant decrease after treatment had ended.

Clinical Implications?

“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study showing that treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism was effective in reducing both the frequency and severity of migraine attacks and improvement of quality of life in those patients,” the researchers reported. The results appear to suggest that migraine patients should undergo thyroid function tests.

References:

Bougea A,  Spantideas N, Anagnostou E, et al. Efficacy of levothyroxine in migraine patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. Congress of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) 2017. Abstract O4111. Presented June 27, 2017.