Keywords
Allergic Rhinitis
Meta-Analysis
Headache
Categories
How to Cite
Abstract
Background: Migraine is a condition characterized by recurrent episodes of unilateral headache. Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an IgE-mediated inflammatory condition of the nasal mucosa that is triggered by exposure to allergens. Migraine and AR may share underlying immunological mechanisms, including histamine release and mast cell activation. Despite the growing interest in the immunological interplay between allergic conditions and neurological symptoms, the specific relationship between AR and migraine remains underexplored.
Methods: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were systematically searched to identify relevant studies. Pooled odds ratio (OR) and pooled risk ratio (RR) were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a random-effects model. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used for quality assessment. Heterogeneity assessment and subgroup analysis were also performed.
Results: Eleven studies involving 4,704,591 participants were included. The pooled OR for migraine in individuals with AR was 2.94 (95% CI: 2.02–4.29; p < 0.0001; I² = 95.62%). The pooled RR from two cohort studies was 2.27 (95% CI: 1.10–4.65; p = 0.026; I² = 99.72%). Subgroup analysis revealed significant differences in the pooled OR regarding the source of individuals with AR and the method of AR assessment, with a higher pooled OR in hospital patients (OR = 7.32) and when using skin tests (OR =6.93), respectively.
Conclusion: Migraine headaches are significantly associated with AR, particularly in hospital settings and when objectivemethodsareusedforARdiagnosis.Thefindingsofthisstudyshouldbeinterpreted cautiously owing to the high heterogeneity.
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