Status migrainosus and migraine aura status in a French tertiary-care center: An 11-year retrospective analysis

Abstract

SM and MAS are rare. Our results highlight a high rate of relapse and a similar frequency of migraine attacks before and after SM.

Status Migrainosus in Children and Adults

“…10,11 SM is a debilitating complication of migraine with or without aura that lacks clear epidemiologic data. A recent 11-year retrospective analysis of a French tertiary headache center reported a 3% prevalence of SM, 6 while a 2006 multicenter study of 253 patients with migraine reported that 24.3% of those with aura and 20.6% of those without aura experienced head pain for more than 72 hours. 12 SM is thought to occur more frequently in those with episodic migraine (less than 15 headache days per month).…”

“…A case report of MRI and PET scan of the brain during SM suggests that SM can be associated with vasogenic cerebral edema. 6 A case describing persistent migrainous vertigo possibly triggering cephalic SM suggests that stimulation of the vestibular system can trigger migraine attacks and bouts of SM. Emotional stress, depression, and med-ication overuse are among the most commonly reported, 2,6 and menstruation was found to be a precipitating factor in 31.3% of women with SM.…”

“…30 Primary headaches can also be mimics to SM. A large series found that the longest duration SM attack was 10 weeks; 6 if the headache persists for more than 3 months with negative testing then primary new daily persistent headache should be considered. A large series found that the longest duration SM attack was 10 weeks; 6 if the headache persists for more than 3 months with negative testing then primary new daily persistent headache should be considered.…”

“…Analogous to the term "status epilepticus," 2 "status migrainosus" was coined by Taverner in 1975, 3 used by Lance in 1978, 4 and was first added to the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-1) in 1988. 5,6 The condition occurs in those with migraine with or without aura and, aside from increased duration and severity, has features similar to the individual's prior migraine attacks. While attacks should last greater than 72 hours to fulfill the diagnostic criteria for SM (Table 1), short periods of remission (less than 12 hours) due to medication or sleep are accepted.…”

Persistent and Repetitive Visual Disturbances in Migraine: A Review

“…All patients were female and had a history of migraine with aura. Mean duration of aura status was 4 weeks, 3 of these 4 patients had further episodes of aura status and 2 responded to treatment with lamotrigine, although separating natural history must be challenging here. A history of migraine with aura seems to be prerequisite for this condition, but it remains unclear why some patients develop aura status when most patients do not.…”