A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of celiac disease in migraine patients.

BACKGROUND

Celiac disease (CD) is a gluten-induced autoimmune disorder that can present with gastrointestinal, extraintestinal, or no symptoms. The prevalence of CD in migraine patients and the nature of their potential association is not well established. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of CD in migraine patients using a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

PRISMA guidelines created a framework for the construction of this review article. Two investigators independently searched the electronic databases of Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar search engine up to May 2024. To assess heterogeneity among the studies, we used Cochran's Q test and the I² index. The statistical analyses were performed using Stata software, version 14.2, and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

This meta-analysis included a total of 6 articles, comprising 14,526 migraine patients. The overall prevalence of CD in migraine patients was estimated to be (2% (95% CI: 0%-5%, I2=75.37, P=0.001)). Also, the Odds of CD disease in migraine patients compared to non-migraine patients was estimated to be equal (2.20 (95% CI: 0.87-5.54, I2=48.4, P=0.121)). Additionally, the majority of the research was conducted in Europe.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the small amount of research accomplished in this particular situation, our data indicate a relatively low prevalence of CD in migraine patients. Therefore, more frequent and thorough research in this field is advised. Patients with migraines experienced fewer attacks when they received gluten-free diets and were screened for celiac disease.