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. 2016:17:34.
doi: 10.1186/s10194-016-0629-6. Epub 2016 Apr 14.

Increased prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with migraine and interictal photophobia

Stephanie M Llop  1 , Jonathan E Frandsen  2 , Kathleen B Digre  2   3 , Bradley J Katz  2   3 , Alison V Crum  2   3 , Chong Zhang  4 , Judith E A Warner  5   6
Affiliations

Increased prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with migraine and interictal photophobia

Stephanie M Llop et al. J Headache Pain. 2016.

Abstract

Background: Most patients with migraine report photophobia associated with headache; a subset report interictal photophobia. These patients are light sensitive even during headache-free periods. The objective of this case-control study was to assess the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression in migraine patients with and without interictal photophobia.

Methods: We recruited 16 subjects with migraine and interictal photophobia, 16 age- and gender-matched migraine subjects without interictal photophobia, and 16 age- and gender- matched controls. Migraine subjects met International Headache Society classification criteria. Participants completed a photophobia questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Chi-square analyses and two-tailed Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used for the analyses.

Results: Subjects with interictal photophobia had significantly higher scores on the photophobia questionnaire compared to subjects without interictal photophobia. Subjects with interictal photophobia had significantly higher scores on the BDI-II and BAI compared to subjects without interictal photophobia.

Conclusions: Migraine patients with interictal photophobia are more likely to manifest symptoms of depression and anxiety compared to migraine patients without interictal photophobia. Care providers should be aware of increased prevalence of these symptoms in this population and consider appropriate referrals. Future research could assess whether treatment of photophobia leads to improvements in symptoms of depression and anxiety in migraine patients.

Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells; Migraine; Photophobia; Sleep disorders.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Photophobia questionnaire. This questionnaire was developed based on previous work by our group and by other groups for the assessment of photophobia in migraine and benign essential blepharospasm, two neurologic disorders that are strongly associated with photophobia. We developed this version to quantify the severity of light sensitivity and assess its effect on some activities of daily living
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Depression Inventory scores in migraine subjects with interictal photophobia, migraine subjects without interictal photophobia and a control group. Subjects with interictal photophobia were more likely to have depression inventory scores consistent with mild, moderate or severe depression compared to the other two groups
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Anxiety Inventory scores in migraine subjects with interictal photophobia, migraine subjects without interictal photophobia, and a control group. Subjects with interictal photophobia were far more likely to have anxiety inventory scores consistent with mild, moderate or severe anxiety compared to the other two groups
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