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Clinical features associated with ictal osmophobia in migraine

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Abstract

Olfactory hypersensitivity may occur during migraine attacks and has been found to be very specific for this form of headache. Aim of this study was to investigate if migraineurs with ictal osmophobia have particular clinical features comparing to patients without ictal osmophobia. We recruited 200 consecutive migraineurs. Other primary headaches comorbidity and migraine prophylaxis were exclusion criteria. Each patient was interviewed following a structured questionnaire including general features about migraine, depression and anxiety symptoms. Migraine triggers both spontaneously and selecting from a specific list. Allodynia during the migraine attack was measured using the Allodynia symptoms check-list 12 (ASC-12). Eighty four (42 %) patients are non-osmophobic vs. 116 patients (58 %) who are osmophobic. After a logistic regression analysis, pain intensity (OR 1.391; p = 0.008) and anxiety (OR 1.099; p = 0.047) were significantly higher while aura (OR 0.421; p = 0.028) is less frequent in osmophobic migraineurs. We found significant differences in clinical features of osmophobic patients in respect to non-osmophobic ones. Ictal osmophobia seems being related to a broader sensorial hypersensitivity that could lead to a more florid clinical presentation.

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Abbreviations

ASC-12:

Allodynia symptoms check-list 12

BMI:

Body max index

GAD-7:

Generalized anxiety disorder 7-item scale

ICHD-II:

International classification of headache disorders-2nd edition

PHQ-9:

Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item scale

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Conflict of interest

In the past year, Ubaldo Bonuccelli has received fees for consultation from GSK and Eisai and for speeches from Novartis, GSK and Lundbeck. The remaining authors have nothing to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, Pisa, Italy

    Filippo Baldacci, Cinzia Lucchesi, Martina Ulivi, Martina Cafalli, Andrea Vergallo, Eleonora Del Prete, Ubaldo Bonuccelli & Sara Gori

  2. Neurology Unit, Hospital of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy

    Marcella Vedovello

  3. Neurology Unit, Hospital of Viareggio, Viareggio, Italy

    Angelo Nuti

Authors
  1. Filippo Baldacci
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  2. Cinzia Lucchesi
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  3. Martina Ulivi
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  4. Martina Cafalli
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  5. Marcella Vedovello
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  6. Andrea Vergallo
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  7. Eleonora Del Prete
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  8. Angelo Nuti
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  9. Ubaldo Bonuccelli
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  10. Sara Gori
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sara Gori.

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Baldacci, F., Lucchesi, C., Ulivi, M. et al. Clinical features associated with ictal osmophobia in migraine. Neurol Sci 36, 43–46 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-014-1903-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-014-1903-5

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