Gene tied to strokes in women with migraine

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In women with a certain type of migraine, a version of a gene called MTHFR appears to increase the risk of stroke, according to a report in the journal Neurology.

The effect was only seen in women who had migraine with aura. In addition to the migraine headache, they also experience visual, auditory, or other physical sensations. Seeing flashing lights is a common type of aura.

Because the biology underlying the link between migraine with aura and stroke remains unclear, it would be premature, at this point, to recommend genetic testing for migraine patients, Dr. Tobias Kurth, from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and colleagues state. Instead, doctors should continue to counsel their migraine patients about risk factors they can change, such as stopping smoking or controlling their blood pressure.

The new findings are based on a study of 25,001 white women enrolled in the U.S. Women's Health Study and had information on the MTHFR gene. When the study began, 3,226 women reported migraines, including 39.5 percent with auras.

A total of 625 strokes, heart attacks, and related events were logged during roughly 12 years of follow-up.

Migraine with aura coupled with the "TT" form of MTHFR increased the risk of stroke by fourfold. By contrast, this coupling did not raise the risk of heart attack.

This study should be repeated with another large group of patients, with more specific information on migraine and aura status, and using criteria from the International Headache Society, the authors state. In particular, the impact of patient age and gender needs to be assessed, they add.

SOURCE: Neurology, August 12, 2008.