Mediterranean diet adherence and cluster headache: a neuro-nutritional case-control study

Cluster headache (CH) is the most prevalent type of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia (TAC) headache disorder. Among the different suggested mechanisms in the pathogenesis of cluster headache, neuroinflammation is highlighted. Since the Mediterranean diet is well-documented for its anti-inflammatory potential, this study aimed to investigate its association with CH. In this case-control study, we compared 67 patients with CH, diagnosed according to ICHD-3 criteria, with 200 otherwise healthy matched individuals. Demographic and anthropometric information was gathered during the initial appointment. A valid 168-item semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assess participants’ dietary intake. A validated Medi-Lite score was used to quantify adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern. The two groups were statistically comparable regarding age, gender, and BMI. Our study results showed that a higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with lower odds of CH. After adjustment for all potential confounders, participants in the 3rd tertile had lower odds of CH than those in the lowest tertile (OR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.11–0.78, P trend = 0.014). The current findings suggest that higher compliance with the Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower odds of CH. However, further clinical trials and cohort studies are required to validate these findings.