Migraine and the risk of stroke and heart disease: a Chinese population-based cohort study

This study aims to investigate the relationship between migraine and the risk of stroke and heart disease among middle-aged and older adults in China. A total of 8,166 participants aged 45 years or older in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study from 2011 to 2020 were included. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between migraine and the incidence of stroke or heart disease. Interaction analyses were performed to identify potential effect modifications. During follow-up period of 9 years, 642 (7.86%) participants experienced a stroke and 1,383 (16.94%) experienced heart disease events. Migraines were positively associated with stroke (HR: 1.70; 95% CI: 1.30–2.22) and heart disease (HR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.41–2.03). The association between migraines and stroke was more significant in individuals without hypertension (p for interaction = 0.01) or diabetes (p for interaction = 0.02). The association between migraine and heart disease was more significant in older individuals (p for interaction = 0.02). In conclusion, migraine is associated with an increased risk of stroke, particularly among individuals without hypertension or diabetes, and a higher risk of heart disease in older adults.