A study published in Headache (February 2013; Volume 53, Issue 2, Pages 344–355) compared the prevalence of migraine headaches in individuals with celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to that of healthy controls. Prior research has also reported a higher prevalence of migraines in patients with celiac disease compared with those without celiac disease.
Participants completed surveys that included clinical, demographic, and dietary information, along with questions addressing headache type and frequency. The study population included 502 subjects: 188 with celiac disease, 111 with IBD, 25 with gluten sensitivity, and 178 healthy controls.
Chronic headaches were reported by 30% of patients with celiac disease, 56% of those with gluten sensitivity, and 23% of patients with IBD. In contrast, only 14% of control subjects reported chronic headaches.
The authors concluded, “Migraine was more prevalent in celiac disease and IBD subjects than in controls. Future studies should include screening migraine patients for celiac disease and assessing the effects of a gluten-free diet on migraines in celiac disease.”
