Peripheral stimulation of the trigeminal nerve by nasopharyngeal swabbing as a possible trigger of migraine attacks
*Correspondencia: Dr. Julio Pascual Gómez. Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla. Avenida de Valdecilla, 25. E-39008 Santander, Cantabria.
E-mail: juliopascualgomez@gmail.com
Introduction: The role of the central and peripheral nervous system in the generation of migraine is not well understood. Our aim was to determine whether peripheral trigeminal nerve stimuli, such as nasopharyngeal swabs, could trigger migraine attacks.
Subjects and methods: A survey was sent to 658 doctors, nurses and medical students, asking about the presence of headache suggestive of migraine after carrying out a SARS-CoV-2 swab test, their previous history of migraine, and demographic and headache-related characteristics. Those who tested positive or had associated clinical signs and symptoms of COVID were excluded.
Results: A total of 377 people were recruited, 309 of whom were included in the sample. Forty-seven (15.2%) reported headache suggestive of migraine after the swab test and 42 (89.4%) of them had a previous history of migraine. The risk of developing migraine was higher in the subgroup of patients with a history of headache suggestive of migraine - odds ratio: 22.6 (95% confidence interval: 8.597-59.397); p < 0.001. No differences were found between the main characteristics of attacks suggestive of migraine before and after the swab test, except for a lower percentage of associated aura afterwards (42.8% vs. 26.1%; p = 0.016). Individuals with previous attacks suggestive of migraine with a frequency of more than two episodes per month had a higher risk of developing a headache suggestive of migraine after the test - odds ratio = 2.353 (95% confidence interval: 1.077-5.145); p = 0.03.
Conclusions: Nasopharyngeal swabbing may trigger migraine attacks, with a greater likelihood in individuals with a higher frequency of previous migraines. This would confirm the idea that peripheral stimuli on the trigeminal nerve can trigger migraine attacks in individuals with migraine, according to their degree of trigeminovascular sensitisation.
Sujetos y métodos Se envió una encuesta a 658 médicos, enfermeras y estudiantes de medicina, preguntando por la presencia de cefalea sugestiva de migraña tras la realización de un frotis para la determinación del SARS-CoV-2, su historia previa de migraña, y sobre características demográficas y relacionadas con la cefalea. Los que tenían resultado positivo o que asociaban sintomatología de COVID fueron excluidos.
Resultados Se reclutó a 377 personas y se incluyó a 309. Cuarenta y siete (15,2%) refirieron cefalea sugestiva de migraña tras la realización del frotis, de las cuales 42 (89,4%) tenían historia previa de migraña. El riesgo de desarrollarla fue mayor en el subgrupo de pacientes con cefalea sugestiva de migraña previa –razón de probabilidad: 22,6 (intervalo de confianza al 95%: 8,597-59,397); p < 0,001–. No hubo diferencias entre las características principales de los ataques sugestivos de migraña previos y los desencadenados tras la prueba, excepto un porcentaje menor de aura asociada tras el frotis (42,8% frente a 26,1%; p = 0,016). Los individuos con ataques sugestivos de migraña previos con frecuencia superior a dos episodios mensuales presentaron mayor riesgo de desarrollar una cefalea sugestiva de migraña tras el test –razón de probabilidad = 2,353 (intervalo de confianza al 95%: 1,077-5,145); p = 0,03–.
Conclusiones El frotis nasofaríngeo podría desencadenar ataques de migraña, más probablemente en individuos con mayor frecuencia de migrañas previas. Esto confirmaría que estímulos periféricos sobre el nervio trigémino pueden desencadenar ataques de migraña en individuos con migraña, de acuerdo con su grado de sensibilización trigeminovascular.
