What Is the Link Between Migraine and Hypothyroidism? A Systematic Literature Review.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review of predominantly observational and cross-sectional studies
PubMed 40649019 · doi:10.3390/jcm14134645
What was done
A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines to evaluate the relationship between migraine and hypothyroidism, incorporating secondary data on general headaches where mechanistically relevant. Two electronic databases were searched, identifying 29 relevant studies for qualitative synthesis.
What was found
Studies indicated that migraine and disturbed thyroid function may bidirectionally influence each other. Multiple included studies reported a positive correlation between migraine and hypothyroidism, most notably Hashimoto's thyroiditis, including within pediatric cohorts. The review also evaluated evidence regarding the impact of levothyroxine therapy on the clinical course of migraine. The abstract reports no numerical effect sizes, odds ratios, or statistical metrics.
Why it matters
This review aggregates clinical evidence connecting thyroid dysfunction to migraine disorders, underscoring potential shared pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic relevance of thyroid hormone optimization in comorbid patients.
Limits
The abstract provides purely qualitative descriptions without quantitative data, pooled effect sizes, or meta-analytic results. Detailed characteristics of the 29 included studies (such as individual study designs, total patient sample size, and formal risk-of-bias grading) are not specified in the abstract, precluding assessment of causality versus confounding.
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