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

Background: Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease with gluten intolerance, which is associated with various neurological disorders. Patients may present with signs of malabsorption or extraintestinal involvement or be completely asymptomatic. It is usually unknown how common celiac disease is in migraine patients. 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 researchers examined databases such as Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to review the literature, with no limitations on time until May 2024. The Cochran's test and the I2 index were used for evaluation. The heterogeneity of data studies was analyzed using Stata14.2 software, and p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 6 articles including 14526 migraine patients were comprised in the meta-analysis. 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.