Increased stroke risk in late life was observed in participants with late onset of migraine with aura (MA), as compared to participants with no headache in a recent ongoing, prospective, longitudinal, community‐based cohort study. Longer cumulative exposure to migraine with visual aura, however, was not associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke in late life. Participants were interviewed to ascertain migraine history at the third visit (1993–1995) and followed for ischemic stroke incidence over 20 years. Researchers performed a post hoc analysis to evaluate the association between the age of migraine onset and ischemic stroke. They found:
- There were 447 migraineurs with MA and 1128 migraineurs without aura (MO) identified among 11,592 black and white participants.
- There was an association between the age of MA onset at age ≥50 years (average duration=4.75 years) and ischemic stroke when compared to the no headache group (multivariable adjusted HR=2.17).
- MA onset at <50 years (average duration=28.17 years) was not associated with stroke (multivariable adjusted HR=1.31).
- MO was not associated with increased stroke regardless of the age of onset.
Androulakis XM, Sen S, Kodumuri N, et al. Migraine age of onset and association with ischemic stroke in late life: 20 years follow‐up in ARIC. [Published online ahead of print January 21, 2019]. Headache. doi:10.1111/head.13468.