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Encyclopedia of Pain pp 1139–1145Cite as

Migraine Epidemiology

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Definition

Migraine is a prevalent under-diagnosed and under-treated medical disorder, associated with a severe impact on the quality of life of the sufferers and their families as well as an enormous economic impact on society. This essay reviews the epidemiology and burden of migraine in population studies. Epidemiological studies often focus on the incidence and prevalence of disease in defined populations.

Characteristics

The Incidence of Migraine

The incidence of migraine has been investigated in a limited number of studies (Fig. 1). Stewart et al found that in females, the incidence of migraine with aura peaked between ages 12 and 13 (14.1 / 1000 person-years); migraine without aura peaked between ages 14 and 17 (18.9 / 1000 person-years). In males, the incidence of migraine with aura peaked several years earlier, around 5 years of age at 6.6 / 1000 person-years; the peak for migraine without aura was 10 / 1000 person-years between 10 and 11 years. New onset of migraine was...

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Neurology, Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Montefiore Headache Unit, Bronx, NY, USA

    Richard B. Lipton

  2. Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY; The New England Center for Headache, Stamford, CT, and Montefiore Headache Unit, Bronx, NY, USA

    Marcelo E. Bigal

Authors
  1. Richard B. Lipton
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  2. Marcelo E. Bigal
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Physiological Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany

    Robert F. Schmidt

  2. Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA

    William D. Willis

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© 2007 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Lipton, R., Bigal, M. (2007). Migraine Epidemiology. In: Schmidt, R., Willis, W. (eds) Encyclopedia of Pain. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29805-2_2419

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29805-2_2419

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-43957-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-29805-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine

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