Evaluation of the Frequency of Patent Foramen Ovale in Children with Migraine: A Prospective Case-Control Study

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the frequency of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in children with migraine and to assess its association with clinical characteristics, heart rate, and electroencephalography (EEG) findings. This prospective study included children aged 5-18 years diagnosed with migraine according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders criteria, and a control group of age-and sex-matched healthy children. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed to determine the presence of PFO. Electroencephalography was conducted in the migraine group. Clinical and laboratory data were compared between migraine patients with and without PFO. PFO was detected in 15 of 71 children with migraine (21.1%) compared with 2 of 71 control subjects (2.8%), demonstrating a significantly higher prevalence in the migraine group (p