Children and adolescents with migraine have a higher risk for anxiety and depression symptoms and disorders compared with healthy controls, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics. Serena Orr, MD, MSc, FRCPC, and colleagues conducted the review to identify studies evaluating the association between anxiety and depressive symptoms and disorders and migraine in children and adolescents. Based on 80 studies, the researchers observed an association between migraine and anxiety symptoms (standardized mean difference, 1.13) and depressive symptoms (standardized mean difference, 0.67). Compared with children and adolescents without migraine, there were significantly higher odds of anxiety disorders (OR, 1.93) and depressive disorders (OR, 2.01) seen in those with migraine. “These results have critical implications for clinical practice, underscoring the need to screen all children and adolescents
with migraine for anxiety and depression,” Dr. Orr and colleagues wrote.

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