Abstract

Objective: Abdominal migraine (AM) is an idiopathic recurrent disorder occurring primarily in children. There are a few studies, even though AM frequently interferes with normal activity and is recognized as migraine prodrome. We therefore analyzed the clinical characteristics of AM and its risk factors for developing migraine later.
Methods
Among 923 children visited with recurrent abdominal pain, we studied 84 fulfilled the International Classification of Headache Disorder for the diagnosis of AM from January 2006 to December 2010. Through chart review and telephone interview, we evaluated and followed up the patients. We divided the patients into two groups by whether the migraine occurred later, and then compared them to find its risk factors.
Results
The mean age of 84 AM was 7.1±3.0 years and 60 (71.4%) were girls. The duration of abdominal pain was 4.3 ±12.7 hours and their severity was all above moderate. Sites of abdominal pain were periumbilical or diffuse at 71 (84.5%). The associated symptoms were anorexia (n=35, 15.5%), nausea (n=58, 69.0%), vomiting (n=26, 31%), and minute headache (n=64, 76.2%). Twenty seven (32.1%) with AM were occurred with migraine 1.7±0.8 years later from onset of AM. Between the migraine and the non-migraine group, there were no statistically differences in age, gender, characteristics of abdominal pain, and associated symptoms. But AM patients significantly developed migraine later at their association with headache (p=0.003) or necessity of drug therapy (p=0.034).
Conclusion
A third of AM developed migraine later and its risk factors were association with headache or necessity of drug therapy.