Chronic Helicobacter pylori infection and migraine: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether chronic Helicobacter pylori infection is a risk factor for migraine. BACKGROUND: Preliminary studies have shown a high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with primary headaches. METHODS: One hundred three consecutive patients with migraine were enrolled in the study and compared with a group of 103 matched controls. Helicobacter pylori infection was diagnosed by means of both (13)C-urea breath test and serology. RESULTS: Of patients with migraine, 30.1% were positive for Helicobacter pylori, compared with 31.1% of controls (P = NS). The odds ratio for migraine associated with chronic Helicobacter pylori infection was 0.96 (95% confidence interval, 0.51 to 1.80). Demographic, clinical, and psychological characteristics of Helicobacter pylori-positive migraineurs were compared with those of migrainous patients without infection. Helicobacter pylori-positive patients had a significantly (P<.05) lower incidence of food sensitivity than Helicobacter pylori-negative patients. No significant difference was found in any other feature examined. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that chronic Helicobacter pylori infection is not more frequent in patients with migraine than in controls and that infection does not modify clinical features of the disease.