The influence of endogenous and exogenous hormonal factors on migraine in spontaneous postmenopausal women: A nationwide population-based study in South Korea

• Published in: Cephalalgia 2022-04, Vol.42 (4-5), p.376-384
• Main Authors: Kim, Seonghoon, Lee, Si Baek, Hong, Yun Jeong, Kim, Yongbang, Han, Kyungdo, Park, Jeong Wook
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Estrogens; Female; Humans; Menopause; Migraine Disorders - drug therapy; Migraine Disorders - epidemiology; Postmenopause; Republic of Korea - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0333-1024; 1468-2982
• DOI: 10.1177/03331024211044441

Background Hormonal and menstrual factors are known to influence migraines in women. However, studies in the postmenopausal period are relatively insufficient for clinical translation. This study investigated the influence of endogenous and exogenous hormonal factors on migraines in spontaneous menopausal women. Methods We obtained and analyzed the data related to hormonal factors from the Korean Health Examination database. A migraine diagnosis was identified using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database between 2009 and 2018. We observed migraine occurrence in spontaneous postmenopausal women. Study populations were divided into two groups depending on new diagnosis of migraine during the follow up periods. We investigated the association between endogenous and exogenous hormonal factors and migraine. Results 1,114,742 spontaneous postmenopausal women were enrolled. Migraine risk tended to increase in the shorter lifetime number of years of menstruation group compared to the group with lifetime number of years of menstruation ≥40 years. All of the hormone replacement therapy (HRT) groups showed higher risk compared with the non-HRT group. Migraine risk tends to increase with greater postmenopausal years compared to the postmenopausal