Introduction: Migraine with aura is characterized by reversible focal neurological symptoms preceding or accompanying headache. Visual aura is the most common type of aura and its patognomic symptoms are scintillating fortification migrating across the visual field or scintillating scotoma. However, the symptoms are not always so typical and clinical doubts are greater when negative symptoms (loss of vision, numbness or paresis) are present. Differential diagnosis of migraine with aura includes in the first place transient ischemic attack (TIA) as well as epilepsy. Diagnosis of migraine in the developmental age is more difficult and associated with unprecise description of the symptoms. Thorough history taking is crucial in migraine diagnosis and following management. Knowledge of migraine with aura symptoms, clinical differences associated with developmental age and features enabling differentiation with other disorders imitating migraine is very important.
Aim of the study: Description of aura types and characteristics of migraine headache and their accompanying symptoms in children.
Material and methods: 30 children were included, aged 8-17 years (mean 13,6 years), hospitalized at Department of Pediatric Neurology Chair of Pediatric and Adolescent Neurology, Jagiellonian University in 14 months of years 2008 and 2009. Clinical analysis was based on inquiry addressed to the patients and their parents.
Results: Migraine with visual aura was established in 9 patients, with somatosensory aura in 4, visual and somatosensory in 5, visual and dysphasic in 1, visual, somatosensory and dysphasic in 5, somatosensory and dysphasic in 2 and basilar type migraine in 4 patients. Consequently, symptoms of visual aura were present in 20/30 patients, in 9 of them it was the only type of aura and in 11 coexisted with other aura types. In more than half cases it manifested as simple visual phenomenons (spots, dots, frills, lines). Blurred vision was found in 5 patients (bilateral in 3, unilateral in 3) and hemianopia in 2 (bilateral in aura was observed in 16/30 patients and only in 4 of them it occurred without other aura symptoms. Dysphasic aura accompanied other aura types in 8 cases. Basilar type migraine was established in 4 patients. Unilateral migrainous headache occurred in 20/30 patients. Pain intensity was defined as very severe, severe and moderate in the following 10, 12 and 8 patients. Pulsating quality of the pain was found in 15 cases. Aggravation of headache by movement was observed in 22/30 patients. Nausea was the most common accompanying symptom present in 20/30 patients. Vomiting, photophobia and phonophobia occurred in 15 patients each. Coexistence of nausea and/or vomiting, photo- and phonophobia was reported in 12 cases. Vertigo and balance disturbances were frequently found additional symptoms and occurred in 11 and 2 patients and in 6 coexisted together. Positive family history of migraine was reported in 18/30 patients.
Conclusions: 1. Visual and somatosensory aura were the most frequent types of aura in children; basilar-type aura occurred with the lowest frequency. 2. Unilateral headache with severe or very severe pain intensity, aggravated by movement was found in more than half cases. Pulsating quality of headache was present in half of the patients. 3. Accompanying symptoms (nausea, vomiting, photo- and phonophobia) occurred in the combination, fulfilling ICHD II diagnostic criterion D for migraine in less then half cases. Vertigo and/or balance disturbances, were commonly found symptoms with no association to aura type. 4. Familial occurrence of migraine was reported in more than half patients. 5. Another modification of migraine diagnostic criteria for children is needed. 6. History takes crucial role in the diagnosis of childhood migraine.