The Comorbidity of Migraine in Bipolar Disorder

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of migraine comorbidity with lifetime bipolar disorder (BPD), and the influence of this comorbidity on various demographic and clinical variables in bipolar patients. Method: Patients (n= 96) with a previous diagnosis of BPD in remission (67 female, 29 male) were included in this study. The diagnosis of BPD was clinically made according to DSM-IV criteria, on admission of the patient to the follow-up routine of outpatient clinics. All patients were interviewed for the presence of current migraine comorbidities using the IHS-criteria. Results: Twenty-six of the 96 bipolar patients (26.0%) were diagnosed with migraine. Our data indicate that migraine comorbidity is prevalent and it appears to may be associated with gender, current age, marital status, occupation, duration of education, postpartum onset of BPD episode, and suicide attempts in patients with BPD. Conclusion: Migraine is a common comorbidity in bipolar patients, and it adversely affects the course of the disease and disrupts the social adjustment of the patients. Regular monitoring of migraine will help to prevent problems and complications that could arise in the course of the BPD.