Assessing the influence of migraine on ischemic penumbra and on the prognosis of ischemic stroke: A prospective cohort study

Introduction There is controversy as to whether migraine affects the behavior of ischemic penumbra during the acute phase of an ischemic stroke, thereby accelerating the formation of cerebral infarction. Objectives To assess whether migraine modifies the existence and volume of the divergence between the areas of diffusion and perfusion in the stroke (the penumbra) and whether migraine implies a poorer prognosis after the stroke. Methods This was a prospective cohort study. We included hospitalized patients with ischemic stroke within 72 h of symptom onset (convenience sampling). A semi‐structured questionnaire, the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were used. Patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain with diffusion and with perfusion. Patients were assessed by telephone 3 months after the stroke to determine the prognosis. Scores of > 2 on the mRS were considered to have a poor prognosis. Results A total of 221 patients were included, 131/221 (59%) of whom were male, and with a mean (SD) age of 68.2 (13.8) years. Ischemic penumbra analysis was performed in 118 patients. There was no association between migraine and the absence of ischemic penumbra (16/63 [25%] vs. 12/55 [22%]; odds ratio 1.22, 95% confidence interval 0.52–2.87; p = 0.64). There was no difference in stroke volume between those with and without migraine (median [interquartile range] 1.0 [0.4–7.9] vs. 1.8 [0.3–9.4] cm3; p = 0.99). Migraine was not associated with the stroke prognosis after multivariable analysis. Conclusion Migraine is not associated with the absence of ischemic penumbra, the volume of the ischemic penumbra, or the stroke prognosis.