{"id":3207,"date":"2026-07-25T13:12:03","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T13:12:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/?p=3207"},"modified":"2026-07-25T13:12:03","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T13:12:03","slug":"chronic-migraine-gastrointestinal-comorbidities-linked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/?p=3207","title":{"rendered":"Chronic migraine, gastrointestinal comorbidities linked"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-component=\"ArticleContent\">\n<div class=\"article__below-title\">\n<div class=\"mobile-trust-box\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 offset-md-1 offset-xl-0 col-xl-12\">\n<div class=\"email-alert-button-wrapper d-none\" data-component=\"EmailTopicAlert\" data-module=\"Subspecialty Email Topic Alerts Top\" data-manage-email-link=\"\/footer\/account-information\/my-account\/email-subscriptions-and-alerts#emailAlerts\">\n  <hidden data-setting-item=\"d265901d-6d37-49c7-a8f6-c7bf19a02509\"\/><br \/>\n  <hidden data-crm-source=\"Subspecialty Topic Alert\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"email-alert-button d-none\" data-topic-button=\"not-subscribed\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n      <span data-module-track-action=\"Email Alerts TOP_Click_Healio News Article\" data-module-track-label=\"Email Alerts TOP_Healio News Article\">&#13;<br \/>\n        <i class=\"fas fa-plus-circle\"\/>&#13;<br \/>\n        Add topic to email alerts&#13;<br \/>\n      <\/span>&#13;\n    <\/p>\n<div class=\"email-alert-inner collapse u583fdde239784a39b12aa945c325599b\">\n<div class=\"email-alert-dialogue\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n          Receive an email when new articles are posted on <span data-content=\"topic-title\"\/>&#13;\n        <\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none\" data-sign-up-type=\"unknown\">\n          Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on <span data-content=\"topic-title\"\/>.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>      <button type=\"button\" class=\"btn btn-primary\" data-loading-text=\"Loading &lt;i class=\" fa=\"\" fa-spinner=\"\" fa-spin=\"\">&#8220;&#13;<br \/>\n              data-action=&#8221;subscribe&#8221;&gt;&#13;<br \/>\n        Subscribe&#13;<br \/>\n      <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"d-none\" data-topic-modal=\"failed\">    <strong>We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/neurology\/20260723\/mailto:customerservice@slackinc.com\">customerservice@slackinc.com<\/a>.<\/strong>  <\/p>\n<p><button data-dismiss=\"modal\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-lg btn-block\">Back to Healio<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Key takeaways:<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Patients with chronic migraine were more likely to develop 14 of 15 gastrointestinal comorbidities.<\/li>\n<li>Clinicians should consider screening patients with chronic migraine for GI symptoms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Adults with chronic migraine had greater odds for gastrointestinal comorbidities than those with no migraine, according to an abstract presented at the American Headache Society 68th Annual Scientific Meeting.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPrevious work has shown that migraine is associated with several GI disorders, but the full scope has been underexplored,\u201d <b>Leon S. <\/b><b>Moskatel<\/b><b>, MD,<\/b> clinical assistant professor of adult neurology at Stanford Medicine, told Healio. \u201cWe thought it was important to examine a full spectrum of GI disorders in patients with chronic migraine.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"figure article__og-image\">&#13;\n    <picture>&#13;<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.healio.comhttps:\/\/www.healio.comhttps:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/slack-news\/neurology\/infographics\/2026\/07_july\/neuro0726patlolla_ahs_graphic_01_web.webp?w=476\" media=\"(max-width: 768px)\">&#13;<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/slack-news\/neurology\/infographics\/2026\/07_july\/neuro0726patlolla_ahs_graphic_01_web.webp?w=800\" media=\"(max-width: 992px)\">&#13;<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/slack-news\/neurology\/infographics\/2026\/07_july\/neuro0726patlolla_ahs_graphic_01_web.webp?w=595\" media=\"(max-width: 1200px)\">&#13;<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.healio.comhttps:\/\/www.healio.comhttps:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/slack-news\/neurology\/infographics\/2026\/07_july\/neuro0726patlolla_ahs_graphic_01_web.webp?w=476\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\">&#13;<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.healio.comhttps:\/\/www.healio.comhttps:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/slack-news\/neurology\/infographics\/2026\/07_july\/neuro0726patlolla_ahs_graphic_01_web.webp?w=476\">&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\n      <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/slack-news\/neurology\/infographics\/2026\/07_july\/neuro0726patlolla_ahs_graphic_01_web.jpg?w=800\" alt=\"Adjusted odds ratios for gastrointestinal comorbidities with chronic migraine included 2.74 for irritable bowel syndrome, 2.34 for small intestinal bowel overgrowth and 2.24 for peptic ulcers.\" class=\"figure-img img-fluid\" width=\"800\"\/>&#13;<br \/>\n    <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>&#13;<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">&#13;<br \/>\n      Data derived from Patlolla R, et al. Gastrointestinal comorbidities associated with chronic migraine: A retrospective, observational analysis. Presented at: American Headache Society 68<sup>th<\/sup> Annual Scientific Meeting; June 4-7, 2026; Orlando.&#13;<br \/>\n    <\/figcaption>&#13;<br \/>\n  <\/figure>\n<p>The retrospective observational cohort study included 9,903 adults (average age, 49 years; 79.4% women; 57.1% white) with chronic migraine assessed at the Stanford Headache Clinic or Comprehensive Neurology Clinic between 2017 and 2024. <\/p>\n<p>Patients were matched with 9,903 controls (average age, 48.7 years; 79.2% women; 55.4% white) with no migraine. <\/p>\n<div class=\"mug left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/slack-news\/neurology\/mugs\/m\/mokatel_leon_80x106.jpg?h=106&amp;w=80\" style=\"width: 80px; height: 106px;\"\/><\/p>\n<p><strong><b>Leon S. <\/b><b>Moskatel<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cThe burden of GI disorders in chronic migraine is broader than what has been previously known,\u201d Moskatel said. \u201cWe found that patients with chronic migraine had significantly higher odds of nearly every GI disorder we evaluated.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fourteen of 15 gastrointestinal comorbidities were more prevalent among the group with chronic migraine. The most common included gastroesophageal reflux disease (29.4% vs. 16.8%), constipation (21.4% vs. 14.2%) and diarrhea (16.3% vs. 9.6%), with <i>P<\/i> values less than .001 for all differences. <\/p>\n<p>Prevalences also included 11.2% vs. 4.4% for irritable bowel syndrome; 1.5% vs. 0.7% for peptic ulcer; and 3% vs. 1.3% for small intestinal bowel overgrown (<i>P<\/i> &lt; .001 for all differences). <\/p>\n<p>Other differences included 7.6% vs. 4.1% for noninfective gastroenteritis and colitis; 1.4% vs. 0.9% for ulcerative colitis; 3% vs. 1.5% for functional dyspepsia; 3.5% vs. 1.9% for gastroparesis; and 1.1% vs. 0.6% for <i>Helicobacter pylori <\/i>infection (<i>P<\/i> &lt; .001 for all differences). <\/p>\n<p>The remaining comorbidities with statistically significant differences in prevalence included disease of digestive system unspecified, Crohn\u2019s disease and celiac disease. There was no statistically significant difference in non-celiac gluten sensitivity. <\/p>\n<p>After adjustment for residual demographic differences, <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/neurology\/20240513\/migraine-gi-symptoms-increase-risk-of-adverse-psychiatric-comorbidities\" id=\"rId8\" target=\"_blank\">depression and anxiety<\/a>, 13 of the gastrointestinal comorbidities remained more prevalent among the group with chronic migraine, with Crohn\u2019s disease joining non-celiac gluten sensitivity with no statistically significant difference in prevalence. <\/p>\n<div class=\"mug left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/slack-news\/neurology\/mugs\/z\/zhang_niushen_80x106.jpg?h=106&amp;w=80\" style=\"width: 80px; height: 106px;\"\/><\/p>\n<p><strong><b>Niushen<\/b><b> Zhang<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The comorbidities with the greatest adjusted odds ratios included irritable bowel syndrome (aOR = 2.74; 95% CI, 2.44-3.07), small intestinal bowel overgrowth (aOR = 2.34; 95% CI, 1.9-2.89) <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/gastroenterology\/20251028\/ecigarette-use-tied-to-higher-odds-of-peptic-ulcer-disease\" id=\"rId9\" target=\"_blank\">and peptic ulcers<\/a> (aOR = 2.24; 95% CI, 1.68-3). <\/p>\n<p>Based on these findings, the researchers encouraged clinicians who treat patients with chronic migraine to screen them for these comorbidities, which would inform individualized treatment plans.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen treating migraine, it is essential to screen for other underlying health conditions that could be contributing to ongoing migraine symptoms,\u201d <b>Niushen<\/b><b> Zhang, MD,<\/b> clinical associate professor of adult neurology at Stanford Medicine, told Healio. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cGiven the broad association of GI disorders and migraine, clinicians should consider screening patients with chronic migraine for GI symptoms and provide referral to GI specialists when it is appropriate,\u201d she said.  <\/p>\n<p>      <b>For more information:<\/b>    <\/p>\n<p>      <b>Leon S. <\/b><b>Moskatel<\/b><b>, MD<\/b><b>, <\/b>and<b> <\/b><b>Niushen<\/b><b> Zhang, MD<\/b><b>,<\/b><b> <\/b>can be reached at <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/neurology\/20260723\/mailto:neurology@healio.com\" id=\"rId10\" target=\"_blank\">neurology@healio.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article__content--footer\">\n<div class=\"sources-references-disclosures\">\n<h3>Sources\/Disclosures<\/h3>\n<h2> Source: <\/h2>\n<p class=\"citation\">Patlolla R, et al. Gastrointestinal comorbidities associated with chronic migraine: A retrospective, observational analysis. Presented at: American Headache Society 68<sup>th<\/sup> Annual Scientific Meeting; June 4-7, 2026; Orlando.<\/p>\n<div class=\"disclosures\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n        <strong> Disclosures: <\/strong>&#13;<br \/>\n        Moskatel reports receiving royalties from CRC Press and serving as a sub-investigator for Ipsen Pharmaceuticals and as an advisory board member for Amneal Pharmaceuticals. Zhang reports no relevant financial disclosures. &#13;\n      <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- Healio AI Widget --><\/p>\n<div class=\"healio-ai-component-inline\" data-no-ads=\"true\" data-module-track-category=\"Healio AI\" data-module-track-action=\"Click\" data-module-track-label=\"Access Healio Ai from component - News_AI Component - In-Content (all devices)\">\n<div class=\"healio-ai-content\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/m3.healio.com\/~\/media\/images\/healio-ai\/healio-ai_logo.svg\" alt=\"Healio AI\" class=\"healio-ai-logo\"\/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ask a clinical question<\/strong> and tap into <strong>Healio AI&#8217;s knowledge<\/strong> base.<\/p>\n<ul>&#13;<\/p>\n<li>PubMed, enrolling\/recruiting trials, guidelines<\/li>\n<p>&#13;<\/p>\n<li>Clinical Guidance, Healio CME, FDA news<\/li>\n<p>&#13;<\/p>\n<li>Healio&#8217;s exclusive daily news coverage of clinical data<\/li>\n<p>&#13;\n    <\/ul>\n<p>    <button class=\"healio-ai-button\" onclick=\"window.location.href=\" https:=\"\">Learn more<\/button>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"email-alert-button-wrapper d-none\" data-component=\"EmailTopicAlert\" data-module=\"Subspecialty Email Topic Alerts Top\" data-manage-email-link=\"\/footer\/account-information\/my-account\/email-subscriptions-and-alerts#emailAlerts\">\n  <hidden data-setting-item=\"d265901d-6d37-49c7-a8f6-c7bf19a02509\"\/><br \/>\n  <hidden data-crm-source=\"Subspecialty Topic Alert\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"email-alert-button d-none\" data-topic-button=\"not-subscribed\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n      <span data-module-track-action=\"Email Alerts TOP_Click_Healio News Article\" data-module-track-label=\"Email Alerts TOP_Healio News Article\">&#13;<br \/>\n        <i class=\"fas fa-plus-circle\"\/>&#13;<br \/>\n        Add topic to email alerts&#13;<br \/>\n      <\/span>&#13;\n    <\/p>\n<div class=\"email-alert-inner collapse u583fdde239784a39b12aa945c325599b\">\n<div class=\"email-alert-dialogue\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n          Receive an email when new articles are posted on <span data-content=\"topic-title\"\/>&#13;\n        <\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none\" data-sign-up-type=\"unknown\">\n          Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on <span data-content=\"topic-title\"\/>.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>      <button type=\"button\" class=\"btn btn-primary\" data-loading-text=\"Loading &lt;i class=\" fa=\"\" fa-spinner=\"\" fa-spin=\"\">&#8220;&#13;<br \/>\n              data-action=&#8221;subscribe&#8221;&gt;&#13;<br \/>\n        Subscribe&#13;<br \/>\n      <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"d-none\" data-topic-modal=\"failed\">    <strong>We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/neurology\/20260723\/mailto:customerservice@slackinc.com\">customerservice@slackinc.com<\/a>.<\/strong>  <\/p>\n<p><button data-dismiss=\"modal\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-lg btn-block\">Back to Healio<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/neurology\/20260723\/chronic-migraine-linked-to-greater-odds-for-gastrointestinal-comorbidities\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#13; &#13; &#13; Add topic to email alerts&#13; &#13; &#13; Receive an email when new articles are posted on &#13; Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . &#8220;&#13; data-action=&#8221;subscribe&#8221;&gt;&#13; Subscribe&#13; We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com. Back to Healio Key takeaways: Patients with chronic migraine were more likely to develop 14 of 15 gastrointestinal comorbidities. Clinicians should consider screening patients with chronic migraine for GI symptoms. Adults with chronic migraine had greater odds for gastrointestinal comorbidities than those with no migraine, according to an abstract presented at the American Headache Society 68th Annual Scientific Meeting. \u201cPrevious work has shown that migraine is associated with several GI disorders, but the full scope has been underexplored,\u201d Leon S. Moskatel, MD, clinical assistant professor of adult neurology at Stanford Medicine, told Healio. \u201cWe thought it was important to examine a full spectrum of GI disorders in patients with chronic migraine.\u201d &#13; &#13;&#13;&#13;&#13;&#13;&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13;&#13; Data derived from Patlolla R, et al. Gastrointestinal comorbidities associated with chronic migraine: A retrospective, observational analysis. Presented at: American Headache Society 68th Annual Scientific Meeting; June 4-7, 2026; Orlando.&#13; &#13; The retrospective observational cohort study included 9,903 adults (average age, 49 years; 79.4% women; 57.1% white) with chronic migraine assessed at the Stanford Headache Clinic or Comprehensive Neurology Clinic between 2017 and 2024. Patients were matched with 9,903 controls (average age, 48.7 years; 79.2% women; 55.4% white) with no migraine. Leon S. Moskatel \u201cThe burden of GI disorders in chronic migraine is broader than what has been previously known,\u201d Moskatel said. \u201cWe found that patients with chronic migraine had significantly higher odds of nearly every GI disorder we evaluated.\u201d Fourteen of 15 gastrointestinal comorbidities were more prevalent among the group with chronic migraine. The most common included gastroesophageal reflux disease (29.4% vs. 16.8%), constipation (21.4% vs. 14.2%) and diarrhea (16.3% vs. 9.6%), with P values less than .001 for all differences. Prevalences also included 11.2% vs. 4.4% for irritable bowel syndrome; 1.5% vs. 0.7% for peptic ulcer; and 3% vs. 1.3% for small intestinal bowel overgrown (P &lt; .001 for all differences). Other differences included 7.6% vs. 4.1% for noninfective gastroenteritis and colitis; 1.4% vs. 0.9% for ulcerative colitis; 3% vs. 1.5% for functional dyspepsia; 3.5% vs. 1.9% for gastroparesis; and 1.1% vs. 0.6% for Helicobacter pylori infection (P &lt; .001 for all differences). The remaining comorbidities with statistically significant differences in prevalence included disease of digestive system unspecified, Crohn\u2019s disease and celiac disease. There was no statistically significant difference in non-celiac gluten sensitivity. After adjustment for residual demographic differences, depression and anxiety, 13 of the gastrointestinal comorbidities remained more prevalent among the group with chronic migraine, with Crohn\u2019s disease joining non-celiac gluten sensitivity with no statistically significant difference in prevalence. Niushen Zhang The comorbidities with the greatest adjusted odds ratios included irritable bowel syndrome (aOR = 2.74; 95% CI, 2.44-3.07), small intestinal bowel overgrowth (aOR = 2.34; 95% CI, 1.9-2.89) and peptic ulcers (aOR = 2.24; 95% CI, 1.68-3). Based on these findings, the researchers encouraged clinicians who treat patients with chronic migraine to screen them for these comorbidities, which would inform individualized treatment plans. \u201cWhen treating migraine, it is essential to screen for other underlying health conditions that could be contributing to ongoing migraine symptoms,\u201d Niushen Zhang, MD, clinical associate professor of adult neurology at Stanford Medicine, told Healio. \u201cGiven the broad association of GI disorders and migraine, clinicians should consider screening patients with chronic migraine for GI symptoms and provide referral to GI specialists when it is appropriate,\u201d she said. For more information: Leon S. Moskatel, MD, and Niushen Zhang, MD, can be reached at neurology@healio.com. Sources\/Disclosures Source: Patlolla R, et al. Gastrointestinal comorbidities associated with chronic migraine: A retrospective, observational analysis. Presented at: American Headache Society 68th Annual Scientific Meeting; June 4-7, 2026; Orlando. &#13; Disclosures: &#13; Moskatel reports receiving royalties from CRC Press and serving as a sub-investigator for Ipsen Pharmaceuticals and as an advisory board member for Amneal Pharmaceuticals. Zhang reports no relevant financial disclosures. &#13; Ask a clinical question and tap into Healio AI&#8217;s knowledge base. &#13; PubMed, enrolling\/recruiting trials, guidelines &#13; Clinical Guidance, Healio CME, FDA news &#13; Healio&#8217;s exclusive daily news coverage of clinical data &#13; Learn more &#13; &#13; &#13; Add topic to email alerts&#13; &#13; &#13; Receive an email when new articles are posted on &#13; Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . &#8220;&#13; data-action=&#8221;subscribe&#8221;&gt;&#13; Subscribe&#13; We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. 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