Abstract
Objectives: To analyze several factors associated with the onset of acute migraine attacks in women aged 18–50 years.
Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on 60 female patients aged 18–50 years diagnosed with acute migraine, treated at the Neurology Center – Bach Mai Hospital from July 2023 to August 2024. Migraine diagnosis was based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (ICHD-3).
Results: Among 60 female patients aged 18–50 years with acute migraine, common trigger factors included sleep disturbance, weather changes, stress, light exposure, noise, fasting, certain foods, alcohol, odors, physical activity, menstruation, and contraceptive use. Light sensitivity was significantly associated with higher BMI (≥23) (OR=5.704; 95% CI: 1.396–23.298; p=0.010). Strong associations were also observed between occupational type and exercise (OR=4.210; 95% CI: 1.331–13.320; p=0.012), as well as menstruation (OR=11.400; 95% CI: 1.382–94.059; p=0.007). Other factors such as stress, sleep quality, alcohol, and dietary triggers showed variable but not statistically significant associations. No valid odds ratio could be calculated for contraceptive use due to limited sample size.
Conclusion: Sleep disturbance, weather changes, light exposure, stress, alcohol, noise, and menstruation were the most common migraine triggers in women aged 18–50 years, with sleep and hormonal factors being predominant. Identifying and limiting these triggers may help improve prevention and management of migraine in reproductive-age women.