ReviewCureus2025
Effect of Bariatric Surgery on Migraine Headache: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Review in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Migraine and Obesity: From Shared Mechanisms to Therapeutic Strategies.Neurology and therapy · 2026Review
- The obesity-brain axis: a comprehensive review of neurological complications and therapeutic interventions in metabolic syndrome.Diabetology & metabolic syndrome · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMigraine is a common, disabling neurological disorder, and obesity has been associated with an increased frequency of migraine, chronicity, and severity. Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for substantial weight loss in morbidly obese patients. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis (per PRISMA 2020 guidelines; registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251175413)) to assess whether bariatric procedures influence migraine frequency and severity in patients with obesity.
methodWe searched PubMed, Scopus, and Embase for studies on obese patients with a history of migraine who underwent bariatric surgery (including sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, or gastric banding) and reported pre- and postoperative migraine outcomes. Six studies (n=1899 patients) met the inclusion criteria. Data on migraine frequency, intensity, and disability before and after the surgery were extracted. Outcomes were pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis, and study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.
resultsAcross the six included studies (n=1899), a variety of bariatric procedures were performed (sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y bypass, and gastric banding). The pooled results showed a consistent and significant reduction in migraine frequency following surgery. All pooled effect estimates favored the postoperative state, indicating fewer monthly headache days after weight loss surgery. Individual studies have also reported a reduction in migraine pain severity and disability after surgery. The magnitude of headache improvement was correlated with weight loss. Mechanistic insights suggested that postoperative weight loss led to hormonal changes (e.g., lowered calcitonin gene-related peptide levels) and reductions in pro-inflammatory cytokines (such as IL-6 and TNF-α), all of which may contribute to the observed migraine relief.
conclusionThis systematic review indicates that bariatric surgery substantially reduces migraine frequency and severity in obese patients. Migraine improvement likely arises from the multifactorial effects of massive weight loss, including neuroendocrine modulation and decreased systemic inflammation, rather than bariatric surgery per se. Given the high comorbidity between obesity and migraine, weight-loss surgery should be considered as a therapeutic option to alleviate the migraine burden in obese individuals.
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Registered trials
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