Published in:
Open Access 01-12-2019 | Migraine | Research article
Quality of life in children and adolescents with migraine: an Austrian monocentric, cross-sectional questionnaire study
Published in: BMC Pediatrics | Issue 1/2019
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Background
Migraine is a disabling primary headache disorder that occurs in about 10 % of children and might lead to a lower quality of life. There are several possible migraine triggers in a patient’s environment, which should be avoided where possible.
The objective of this Austrian monocentric study was to identify migraine triggers and the areas, in which children and adolescents with migraine have a lower quality of life than healthy, headache-free children.
Methods
In this cross-sectional, questionnaire study, 76 children from ages 8 to 17 years were included. Thirty-seven were classified as migraineurs, 39 as non-migraineurs. Participants filled in a questionnaire surveying the areas of physical, socio-economic and school functioning. Migraineurs further answered migraine-specific questions.
Results
The study included 33 (43.4%) males and 43 (56.6%) females. Median age was 13.00 (10.00–16.00) years. Average age of onset for migraine was 9.22 ± 3.34 years. Non-migraineurs skipped trendwise fewer meals (p.adjust = 0.108) and exercised more often (p.adjust = 0.108). In socio-economic functioning, the father’s nationality being Austrian might be related to migraine (p.adjust = 0.108). Children with migraine had a significantly lower quality of life in school functioning (PedsQL 4.0 questionnaire, p.adjust = 0.04) and had significantly less often “good” grades than children without migraine (p.adjust = 0.048).
Conclusion
Children with migraine show a reduced quality of life in the areas of physical, socio-economic and school functioning.