• Chunlin Li, Shengyuan Yu, Huiying Li, Jin Zhou, Jieqiong Liu, Wenjing Tang, and Lei Zhang.
• Chunlin Li, MD. Department of Neurology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
• Pak J Med Sci. 2017 May 1; 33 (3): 720-725.

ObjectiveClinical and basic research increasingly suggests a correlation between migraine and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In this study, we aimed to explore the clinical features and risk factors for IBS in migraine patients.MethodsThis was a retrospective, cross-sectional study. A total of 1,112 consecutive patients from the internal medicine and emergency departments of three hospitals from June 2014 through 2016. A comprehensive interviewer-administered questionnaire was designed based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (beta version).ResultsThe response rate was 94.6%. Among 1,052 participants, 287 suffered from migraine (27.3%) and 312 suffered from IBS (29.7%). A total of 79 patients suffered from both migraine and IBS (comorbidity rate: 7.5%). The migraine cohort exhibited a higher frequency of IBS than did the comparison cohort at baseline (P<0.05). Migraine patients with higher headache frequency, longer length of headache history, and anxiety disorders were more likely to also suffer from IBS (P=0.015). There were no significant differences between the two groups in age, sex, family history, duration of headache attack, migraine aura, headache intensity, or depression disorders (P>0.05). Multiple regression analysis indicated length of headache history and headache frequency were associated with IBS.ConclusionMigraine patients with a long headache history, recurrent episodic headache attacks, and anxiety were more likely to have IBS.

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