Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40016663›Full record

ArticleThe journal of headache and pain2025

Burden of hidden migraine among the Arab general population: a cross-sectional study.

Mohamed A Elzayat, Shorouq A Kassab, Mona A F Nada, Abdel-Hady El-Gilany

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The journal of headache and pain, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Mohamed A Elzayat *Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt. Mohamedelzayat1@std.mans.edu.eg.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1141-2484
Shorouq A Kassab *Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt. shroukkassab@std.mans.edu.eg.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9512-0085
Mona A F NadaDepartment of Neurology, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
Abdel-Hady El-GilanyPublic Health and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9376-6985

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMigraine is a common type of primary headache which is responsible for one-third of the headache cases. It's also considered the third highest neurological disease with disability in 2021, however, underdiagnosis of migraine remains a significant health problem. This study aims to assess the prevalence of hidden migraine identified by screening among the Arab general population, describe the characteristics of headache attacks, and assess disability and distress associated with migraine.

methodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted between April and June 2024 among the general population of eight Arab countries using a self-administered online questionnaire to collect sociodemographic data and medical history. The questionnaire also included the ten-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), Migraine Screen Questionnaire (MS-Q), and Migraine Disability Assessment Questionnaire (MIDAS).

resultsA total of 2152 individuals completed the questionnaire with a median age of 24 (21-29). Among them 683 (31.7%) individuals were screened positive by MS-Q. Using regression analysis, the independent predictors for positive screening were being Saudi Arabian, having one or more diseases, and having severe psychological distress with adjusted odds ratios of 0.622, 0.282, and 1.329 respectively. Among positive cases, 667 (97.7%) reported having headaches in the past 3 months. Phonophobia (50.97%) and photophobia (49.33%) were the most common associated symptoms. Sleep disturbance (66.72%) and noise (63.87%) were the most common triggering factors while sleep (71.81%) and self-medication (68.52%) were the most common relieving factors. Only 25.34% reported having aura with the last attack. According to MIDAS scores, 459 (67.2%) positive cases had moderate or severe disabilities. Regression analysis identified being a housewife and having one or more diseases as the independent predictors of having moderate or severe disabilities with adjusted odds ratios of 0.228 and 0.523 respectively.

conclusionMigraine is still underdiagnosed in Arab countries which causes significant disability among positive cases. Raising awareness about the importance of early migraine diagnosis is crucial for encouraging the general population to seek medical advice once they have symptoms.

Indexed as

Cost of IllnessMigraine DisordersAdultArabsCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMalePrevalenceSaudi ArabiaSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultArabDisabilityMigrainePsychological distressUnderdiagnosis

Identifiers

PMID40016663
PMCPMC11866620

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.