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The Prognosis of Migraine
Bigal ME.
Posted: December 2008  
Curr Opin Neurol.   2008;21:301-308

Purpose of the review:   The prognosis of migraine is poorly studied and research in this regard is in its infancy. Migraine is a chronic disorder with episodic attacks with a highly variable long-term prognosis. In many, migraine may have a very benign (complete remission) or relatively benign (partial remission) prognosis. In some, migraine persists and in others, it progresses.

Recent findings:   A recent population study showed that, over a one-year period, 84% of the patients with migraine persisted with this diagnosis (migraine persistence); around 10% had one-year complete clinical remission, and 3% had partial remission; the other 3% developed chronic migraine. Long-term studies support the concept that remission increases with age and also that risk factors for progression have been identified (eg, medication overuse, obesity, etc.).