Five-year longitudinal study of juvenile migraine headaches

To evaluate the prevalence and the evolution over 5-year of juvenile migraine headaches. Sixty-four subjects selected in our 1989 epidemiological survey were included in the study. The criteria of the International Headache Society were used both in 1989 and 1994. Thirty-two out of 64 subjects (50%) had MWAO, 18 (28.1%) had MD and 14 (21.9%) had headache not classifiable (HnC). MWOA persists in 56.2%, becomes MD and HnC in 9.4% and 3.1% of cases respectively, changes to episodic tension-type headache (ETTH) in 12.5%, and remits in 18.8%. MD persists in 11.1%, becomes MWOA and HnC in 27.8% and 5.5% of cases respectively, changes to ETTH in 11.1, and remits in 44.5%. HnC persists in 14.3%, becomes MD and MWOA in 21.4% and 14.3% of cases respectively, changes to ETTH in 14.3%, and remits in 35.7%. Our data confirm that MWOA and MD with juvenile onset change their characteristics over time having basically a favourable prognosis