Association between plasma lipid levels and migraine in subjects aged > or =50 years: preliminary data from the Zabùt Aging Project

We evaluated the association between lipid levels and migraine using cross-sectional, population-based data of 1809 subjects aged >= 50 years; 151 subjects with migraine and 1658 nonmigraineurs were included. Diagnosis of migraine was carried out using the criteria of the International Headache Society. The following plasma lipids were collected: total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides (TG). Only TC (p<0.003) and LDL-C levels (p<0.004) were significantly higher in migraineurs than nonmigraineurs. After multiple adjustments, only elevated TC (>= 220 mg/dl) was significantly associated with migraine (OR [95% CI]=1.6 [1.1-2.3]); this association increased in elderly males with migraine (OR [95% CI]=3.8 [1.4-9.9]). According to our results, TC plasma levels should be closely monitored in elderly males with migraine.