The effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication on migraine: a randomized, double blind, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND Recent studies have shown a positive correlation between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)infection and migraine headache. OBJECTIVE To study the impact of H. pylori eradication on migraine headache. STUDY DESIGN Double blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial. SETTING Sixty-four patients diagnosed with migraine-type headache were included in the study. The patients were randomly allocated into 2 groups: a treatment group that received migraine treatment and H.pylori eradication treatment, and a control group that received migraine treatment and a placebo in place of H. pylori eradication treatment. METHODS There were 25 women and 7 men in the treatment group and 22 women and 10 men in the control group. The MIDAS (Migraine Disability Assessment) questionnaire was used to assess the severity of symptoms, before and after treatment. RESULT There was no significant difference between treatment group patients and control group patients with respect to age (44.6 ± 8.8 vs. 43.8 ± 13.8), clinical symptoms and signs. In the beginning of the study, patients in the treatment group had a higher MIDAS compared to patients in the control group (28.87 ± 6.18 vs. 25.43 ± 7.13, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the treatment and control groups, with respect to the MIDAS, after treatment (20.09 ± 1.14 vs. 20.00 ± 1.150, P = 0.5). General linear model, repeated measures demonstrated that the reduction in the MIDAS score was more prominent in the treatment group (Mean Square 164.25, F: 2.02, P = 0.05). LIMITATIONS Short-term follow up. CONCLUSION H. pylori eradication may have a beneficial role on migraine headache. This shows the significance of H. pylori treatment in the management of migraine headache among Iranian patients.