OBJECTIVE: To investigate the factors involved in the delayed diagnosis of migraine without aura among patients attending a tertiary center for headache diagnosis and management. METHODS: Two hundred consecutive patients were divided into 3 groups according to the time elapsed from the first clinical manifestations and the diagnosis of migraine at our center. RESULTS: The interval was <1 year in 16.5% of patients (n = 33); from 1 to 5 years in 30% (n = 60); and >5 years in 53.5% (n = 107). Younger age at migraine onset and a lower level of education were significantly associated with a longer time to diagnosis (P = .01 and P = .0001, respectively). Longer delays were significantly associated with a larger number of specialists consulted (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest an insufficient awareness of the diagnostic criteria of migraine by non-specialist physicians, who often prescribe expensive and unnecessary diagnostic investigations that do not alleviate patients' symptoms while wasting health care resources.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the factors involved in the delayed diagnosis of migraine without aura among patients attending a tertiary center for headache diagnosis and management. METHODS: Two hundred consecutive patients were divided into 3 groups according to the time elapsed from the first clinical manifestations and the diagnosis of migraine at our center. RESULTS: The interval was <1 year in 16.5% of patients (n = 33); from 1 to 5 years in 30% (n = 60); and >5 years in 53.5% (n = 107). Younger age at migraine onset and a lower level of education were significantly associated with a longer time to diagnosis (P = .01 and P = .0001, respectively). Longer delays were significantly associated with a larger number of specialists consulted (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest an insufficient awareness of the diagnostic criteria of migraine by non-specialist physicians, who often prescribe expensive and unnecessary diagnostic investigations that do not alleviate patients' symptoms while wasting health care resources.
Authors: M Bartolini; G Viticchi; L Falsetti; A Ulissi; M Baldassari; A Medori; S Mattioli; F Lombardi; L Provinciali; M Silvestrini Journal: Neurol Sci Date: 2014-05 Impact factor: 3.307
Authors: G Viticchi; L Falsetti; L Buratti; A Plutino; L Provinciali; M Silvestrini; M Bartolini Journal: Neurol Sci Date: 2015-05 Impact factor: 3.307
Authors: Robert P Cowan; Alan M Rapoport; Jim Blythe; John Rothrock; Kerry Knievel; Addie M Peretz; Elizabeth Ekpo; Bharati M Sanjanwala; Yohannes W Woldeamanuel Journal: Headache Date: 2022-06-03 Impact factor: 5.311