Table 2.
Association between headache history and volume of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) in Epidemiology of Vascular Ageing study (n=780)
| WMH volume by thirds | No history of severe headache (n=617) | Migraine headache (n=116) | Non-migraine headache (n=47) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No (%) | No (%) | Age adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) | Multiple adjusted* odds ratio (95% CI) | No (%) | Age adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) | Multiple adjusted* odds ratio (95% CI) | ||
| Total: | ||||||||
| Lowest third | 215 (34.8) | 35 (30.2) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10 (21.3) | 1.0 | 1.0 | |
| Middle third | 211 (34.2) | 34 (29.3) | 1.0 (0.6 to 1.6) | 1.0 (0.6 to 1.6) | 15 (31.9) | 1.5 (0.7 to 3.5) | 1.6 (0.7 to 3.6) | |
| Highest third | 191 (31.0) | 47 (40.5) | 1.5 (0.9 to 2.4) | 1.8 (1.0 to 2.9) | 22 (46.8) | 2.4 (1.1 to 5.2) | 2.7 (1.2 to 5.9) | |
| P for trend† | — | — | 0.07 | 0.03 | — | 0.03 | 0.01 | |
| Deep: | ||||||||
| Lowest third | 213 (34.5) | 34 (29.3) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 13 (27.7) | 1.0 | 1.0 | |
| Middle third | 214 (34.7) | 34 (29.3) | 1.0 (0.6 to 1.7) | 1.1 (0.7 to 2.0) | 12 (25.5) | 1.0 (0.4 to 2.2) | 1.0 (0.4 to 2.2) | |
| Highest third | 190 (30.8) | 48 (41.4) | 1.6 (1.0 to 2.6) | 1.9 (1.1 to 3.2) | 22 (46.8) | 2.0 (1.0 to 4.0) | 2.1 (1.0 to 4.4) | |
| P for trend† | — | — | 0.04 | 0.01 | — | 0.04 | 0.03 | |
| Periventricular: | ||||||||
| Lowest third | 215 (34.8) | 36 (31.0) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 9 (19.1) | 1.0 | 1.0 | |
| Middle third | 210 (34.0) | 33 (28.4) | 0.9 (0.6 to 1.6) | 0.9 (0.5 to 1.5) | 17 (36.2) | 1.9 (0.8 to 4.3) | 2.0 (0.9 to 4.7) | |
| Highest third | 192 (31.1) | 47 (40.5) | 1.5 (0.9 to 2.4) | 1.6 (1.0 to 2.7) | 21 (44.7) | 2.5 (1.1 to 5.6) | 2.9 (1.3 to 6.5) | |
| P for trend† | — | — | 0.09 | 0.04 | — | 0.03 | 0.01 | |
Odds ratios are calculated by using a multinomial logistic regression model with participants who had no history of severe headache and who were in lowest third for WMH volume as reference group. WMH volume was standardised to total white matter volume. Percentages may not add up to 100% owing to rounding.
*Adjusted for age, sex, history of hypertension, smoking, body mass index, total cholesterol level, alcohol consumption, and family history of severe headache.
†P for trend across mean values of the WMH thirds calculated by using a logistic regression model contrasting a specific headache group to participants without history of severe headache.